Surrounded
by animeflufflife
Summary: "But no matter what happens, I will come back," she promised. After 3 years of disappearance, she returned, finding herself surrounded yet again with clouds of problems. But this time, she'll have a little help from the Karasuno volleyball team. (OC x various Haikyuu characters)
1. Introduction

~Introduction~

 _Hey, guys! It's animeflufflife, again. I really like Haikyuu, and I'm super stoked for the second season this winter even though I've already read the manga. If you haven't watched/read it, I totally recommend it because the graphics are pretty decent and not an eyesore and the characters are just amazing._

 _Anyways, I'm having this weird obsession with writing fanfics with OCs in it, but I'm thinking of doing a cross over, so look forward to that. This fanfic features a girl named Mei (Yes, it's a Say I Love You reference_ _J_ _) and how her past relates to the various members of the Karasuno, Aobajousai, and Nekoma volleyball teams. So, enjoy this introduction!_

 _Oh by the way, this fanfic is going to be in present tense instead of past tense like_ The New Fairy _because I think it sounds different. If you don't like it, please voice your feelings and I'll definitely take note of it for the future._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu. I wish I did because Kuro and Tsukki are bae but I don't._ _L_

Normal POV:

"Oikawa-senpai, will you teach me how to do a jump serve?"

"Hah?" The addressed brown-haired captain glances at the shorter male with sheer disgust. "No way. I don't have time to help someone who'll probably become my future rival in high school. Learn on your own or something."

A snort of disgust sounds from the entrance of the volleyball court.

Oikawa's brows twitch together. "Only volleyball members are allowed in the gym during practice," he calls to the figure lingering there. "Distractions are looked down upon."

A girl enters the room, clad in an unfamiliar volleyball uniform, her silky dark hair tumbling in perfect waves to her waist. "Incivility towards kouhais is looked down upon," she replies, throwing the volleyball in her arms at him.

At the last moment, he catches it, the expensive fabric nearly falling from his sweat-slick fingers. "Excuse me? Is it illogical to not want to teach techniques to a future rival?"

She approaches him, turning up her head to look him straight into his chocolate brown eyes. "That 'future rival' is my brother," she practically whispers, her hands on the ball. "And right now, he's on your team. Quit thinking about the future and focus on now. Because you'll completely regret not helping him improve." And with that, she stalks off angrily.

Oikawa, flustered, lets out a sigh. "Fine, fine, kouhai-chan," he teases tiredly. "I'll teach you."

"Thank you, Oikawa-senpai!" he replies gratefully. He clutches the volleyball in his hands. "I'm sorry about my sister. She can be really scary."

"Tch. Whatever."

A Month Later:

"Oikawa-senpai! Oikawa-senpai!" Swarms of fan-girls practically throw themselves onto the popular 3rd year during lunch period.

"Hello, hello! I see you're all looking as beautiful as ever," Oikawa says, launching into various lines that result in deafening screams. "I have to do pick up some homework that I miss when I was sick, but I will be back." He quickly walks away before anyone could protest, actually eager to get away from them.

As he makes his way upstairs towards the staff room, he notices a small figure, curled up in a dark corner by the staircase. Ignoring it, he continues to walk away.

But when he returns with his packet of paper, a small noise comes from her, almost like a held-back sob.

"I didn't make it," a girl's voice murmurs under her breath, choking cries back down her throat. "I didn't try hard enough."

A wave of mixed feelings, sympathy and repulsion, flows through Oikawa's mind. Finally, he decides to sit beside her. "Um…are you okay?"

A scornful choke erupts from her throat. "I wouldn't be sitting here, bawling my eyes out if I was okay," she responds in a lower voice. "I tried out for a national volleyball team to represent Japan…but I didn't make it."

"Oh…" Lost in finding the right words to say, Oikawa awkwardly pats her shoulder and shockingly, she leans into him. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Whatever. I just wanted to do something…big, I guess. I want to be someone worth being proud of after all the hard work I put into finding a hobby that defined me." She sniffles, inhaling and exhaling deeply. After a moment, she speaks again. "I'm fine. Thank you, I didn't mean to attract attention."

She glances up to look at his face, widening her eyes at his expression. "Y-you're…"

Recognition floods into his mind. "You're that girl that stood up to me for Tobio-chan!" he cries aloud.

Immediately, she hushes him. "Shh. Geez, be aware of your surroundings. Yeah, well, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Mei. And you are?"

Though hesitant, he says, "Oikawa Tooru."

Two weeks later:

"Tooru!"

Oikawa finds a small pair of arms wrapped around his neck. " _Nani_ , _nani_? What's that in your hand?" He snatches the white, wrinkled piece of paper out of the girl's hands.

Mei's dark blue eyes shimmer with delight as she explains, "I just got this letter this morning! Apparently, one of the girls on the national volleyball team I was telling you about broke her leg and can't play, so I've been accepted to replace her! Can you believe it?!"

"That's great, Mei-chan!" he replies, hugging her. "When do you start?"

At this, she bites her bottom lip. "Uh, well…I'm leaving in a week."

"Oh…well, I guess we can keep a long-distance relationship, right? I know a ton of people who do that," Oikawa says, trying to act positive.

Slowly, she shakes her head, her eyes refusing to meet his. "…Well, I wasn't really going to talk to you about that till later but…"

He frowns, sensing something bad. "But what?"

"I…I think we should break up," she utters. They stand on the sidewalk in complete silence while cars fly by in flashes.

"Wait, why?"

Mei clings to him tightly, her head on his chest. "I really like you, Tooru, and you know it. But I also really like volleyball too. And I know you do too. Maybe I'm just too young for a relationship. But no matter what happens," she looks up at him for a brief moment, "I will come back. Okay?"

"Promise?"

She smiles a bit at this. "Promi—" He gently plants a kiss on her lips, holding her as if she were a precious, fragile figurine, sharing their first and possibly last kiss.


	2. Chapter 1

~1~

 _Here I am with the first chapter of our fanfiction! Hope you enjoy it! 3_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own my OC._

Present Time; Normal POV:

" _Ne_ , _ne_ , Hinata."

The energetic orange-haired 1st year turned around to see two of his senpais, Tanaka and Nishinoya. It was right before volleyball practice started and Hinata was hoping to do some extra drills before anyone else had entered the gym. "Hai!?"

The two 2nd years glance at each other, exchanging nervous expressions.

"Well, I'm just going to say it right off the bat…does Kageyama have a girlfriend?" Tanaka says in a low whisper.

At this, Hinata's normally innocent expression distorts into mere surprise. "Really? He's never mentioned anything like that. Plus," He gets into an intimidating stance to mimic Kageyama, "that guy is probably too scary and self-absorbed to get one in the first place.

"That's true…but who's that?" Nishinoya says, gesturing for Hinata to follow him to the entrance of the gym. They peek outside to see Kageyama strolling past the gardens planted recently by the student council. By his side is a tall, petite girl with long, dark hair. He says something, causing the girl to let out an airy laugh. "Dang, I can't see her face from here. She must be really cute."

"What are we whispering about?"

Nishinoya and Hinata jump at the sound of the whispered voice. Suga lets out a teasing chuckle, seeing this. He runs a hand through his soft grey hair. "Captain did mention that we might be having a guest during practice," he comments. "It could be her."

"I bet Captain assigned her to Kageyama just to piss him off," Tanaka says, almost sadistically, rubbing his hands together. "Oh, but I wish I could be that close to a cute girl. Not that I don't love Kiyoko-chan!"

The said manager, who was passing by with a cart full of volleyballs, simply ignores the crazy player's romantic claims, much to his disappointment.

Ukai bursts into the gymnasium, a surprisingly determined look on his face. "Okay, three laps around the gym then get into a single-file line for serve receive!" he calls immediately. "Where's Tsukishima and Yamaguchi?"

"Here," comes the tired response as the two enter slowly.

The blonde male groans, "Late, again. That's the third time these two weeks. Four laps for you two."

"Tch," Tsukishima mutters as he puts down his belongings on the bleachers at nearly turtle-pace. He begins to run effortlessly, as if he weren't trying at all.

"Pick up the pace, Tsukishima!"

Half an hour later:

"Why is Ukai-san being so ruthless today?" Yamaguchi breathes loudly as everyone takes a water break following a dozen exhausting drills.

"Dunno," Suga replies. "He sounds a bit ticked off right now, so I would lay low around him."

Hinata bites into a red bean bun, smacking loudly, much to the disgust of everyone else. "By the way, where did Ukai-san go?" he asks.

At this, everyone glances about, suddenly realizing that their so-called "coach" has disappeared in the middle of their grueling practice.

"Um…now what do we do?" Asahi fiddles with his man bun awkwardly.

"Wanna play a game?"

The same girl that was walking with Kageyama previously stands at the serving line, a personalized volleyball in her left hand. She tosses it in the air, her long, slender arm smacking it with all her power. It launches straight into the back right corner, barely making it in.

Kageyama groans sulkily, stomping over to where she stood. "What are you doing here?!" he cries angrily.

"Oh. He burst," she announces with a cheeky grin.

"You're only here to enroll as a student! We already talked about this! The authorities already made it clear: you can't play volleyball for the rest of the season!" he exclaims, annoyed.

She rolls her eyes, clearly indicating unconcern towards Kageyama's feelings. "I'm only here to observe," she simply says. "So, why don't you guys just play some scrimmage and I'll give you guys tips."

Someone taps her shoulder, interrupting the two's conversation. Tsukishima stands there, a condescending expression on his face. "Who would want some random person's tips?" he says haughtily. "You have no authority to boss us around."

The girl frowns. "Well…I guess you're right..."

" _Oi_ , Tsukki!" Yamaguchi says, a little afraid.

"…except for the fact that I'm a professional volleyball player at a national level," she finishes with a devilish smirk.

"Hah?"

Kageyama groans once again. "Why me… Everyone, this is my twin sister: Kageyama Mei, captain of Japan's national girls' volleyball team," he introduces, practically burying his face in his hands in embarrassment.

"Seriously?" " _She's_ your twin sister?!" "But she's so nice and pretty…" "And Kageyama's all dictator and scary!" Everyone turns to the girl in immense shock.

Mei giggles. "Tobio-chan, you let my secret out," she teases relentlessly. "Well, while I'm here, I thought I'd give you some pointers." Suddenly, her light-hearted aura transforms into full-on strict captain. "State your name, year, and position. Nothing more, nothing less."

Hinata snickers, saying in a low whisper, "There's the Kageyama in her."

She glares at the short boy, her dark blue eyes piercing into him. "Clearly there's no age limit in this team…," she mutters. "Since you enjoy speaking so much, why don't you start, shortie?"

At this, Hinata stiffens, half frightened, half insulted. "I'm Hinata Shoyo, first year! I'm a middle blocker!"

"What is wrong with Ukai?" Mei murmurs. "Letting a little kid be a middle blocker? NEXT!"

Eagerly, Tanaka approaches, clearly interested in the young beauty. "I'm Tanaka Ryonosuke, a wing spiker! I'm a second year! And might I say, you look much nicer than Kageyama-kun."

"Not interested. I should hope you act more composed on the court. NEXT!"

"Nishinoya Yuu, the libero. I'm a second year!"

"Nice hair," she comments, causing him to smile a little too widely at the crestfallen Tanaka. "Next!"

Asahi looks at her nervously. "A-ah…oh, it's my turn…I'm Azumane Asahi…a third year…oh, and I'm a wing spiker."

"Chin up, chest out, back straight. You're a 3rd year and in the starting line-up, according to Ukai. Give me a break; these 1st years are brimming with more confidence than you. Show some self-assurance. NEXT!"

As usual, Suga smiles politely and calmly. "I'm Sugawara Koshi, a 3rd year. I'm a setter."

"Ah, someone who can actually give me a decent answer. I like that. Next!"

"I'm the captain, Sawamura Daichi. I'm a third year and I'm a wing spiker."

"Good to meet a professional-appearing captain who can handle these people. Next!"

Yamaguchi fiddles nervously with his hands. "A-ah, I'm Yamaguchi T-Tadashi…first year…I play as a, uh, middle blocker…or pinch server."

"You act like I'm about to hurt you or something. You should be proud to be a pinch server. That means your coach trusts you. Next! Oh great."

Tsukishima furrows his brow, looking down at her quite a bit, being about 30 cm. taller than her. "Tsukishima Kei. First year. Middle Blocker."

"Mo-no-tone," she mimicks. "I can already tell you're the passive, born-with-talent type. Ugh, you know, I had someone on my team like that and she was so full of it, I kicked her out."

No response.

"Whatever. Anyways, I assigned you all to teams based on the information your introductions gave me. Team A: Sugawara-san, Asahi-san, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima. Team B: Captain, Tanaka-san, Tobio-chan, and Hinata. Nishinoya will switch in with Hinata. Five minutes to rest or stretch, then it's game time!"


	3. Chapter 2

~2~

 _Here's chapter 2! Hope you enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any Haikyuu characters; I only own my OC._

Karasuno Gym; Normal POV:

The ball soars in the air with immense force, over the heads of the A Team and Captain easily receives it, much to the dismay of Yamaguchi, who had attempted to perform his jump-float serve.

"Nice try, Yamaguchi!" Mei calls as her twin brother calmly sets the ball to Hinata. The shorty's arm swings down with all the power he has and slams the ball right behind the unsuspecting Yamaguchi.

"E-eh?!" he cries in despair. "Ah, _gomen_ , _gomen_! I wasn't paying…attention…"

Mei frowns. "This is volleyball. Focus, people! Rotate, Team B!" she shouts, sending shivers to the Karasuno volleyball team. She turns to Hinata, an intimidating glare upon her face. "I underestimated you, kid. You got reflexes I would kill for."

Flushing with excitement from rare praise, Hinata bursts out, "A-arigato!"

"Don't expect any compliments flying your way. You all have to show me that you have the skills of a pro." Her mouth twists into a suspicious smirk. "I just might point one of you out to a talent scout from some universities that could possibly show up at your next game against Nekoma."

At this, something sparks in the minds of everyone, the sudden desperation, strive, and urge to do their best, and of course, the hunger for victory.

Except for one person.

"Tsukishima, would you please just freaking try harder and jump a bit higher?!" Mei practically screams, nearly throwing her clipboard to the ground. "UGH!"

The towering blonde simply rolls his eyes and turns away. "I am jumping high enough anyways…," he mutters to himself.

"I HEARD THAT!" she hollers.

15 Minutes Later:

The score is 20-22 with Team B in the lead of the first set. Everyone's already quite fatigued considering the rough practice previously but as usual, the bubbly-as-ever Hinata brightens up at the chance to serve.

"I'm gonna serve and it's gonna go like WHAM!" he announces to no one in particular, receiving puffs of laughter from his team.

"What are ya gonna call it?" Nishinoya asks from the bleachers where he sips his water.

"The Shoyou Whamo!"

Finally, everyone just bursts into crazy laughter at this. In spite of their exhaustion, they're each bending over, hugging their stomachs, at the sound of such a stupid, hilarious name.

Mei claps loudly for attention, but it takes a bit for them to stop. " _Oi_ , let's get serious! This is what's going to happen if you get up against Shiratorizawa! They're going to take you through many sets and you're going to have to put up a fight to the very end. You're going to be just as tired as you are right now, but you're going to have to keep moving on! Now, let's close up this set and you can get a long water break."

Hinata prepares to serve, inhaling for what felt like forever. He finally swings back his arm and the ball launches.

…right into Kageyama's head.

He slowly turns away, an eerie, frightening expression on his face. His dark blue eyes bulge widely as he says to Hinata, "What…did…you…just…do…to…me?"

Something between a shriek and a sob chokes out of Hinata.

" _Oi_ , Tobio, settle down. You're getting all intimidating again. Quit acting like he did a crime against you. Every person on this court is your equal and—"

"Shut up, Mei. I don't need scolding from you," Kageyama retorts.

The gymnasium turns utterly silent and Mei and Kageyama stand there, their dark eyes locked on each other in a harsh glare. Everyone could practically see the raging electricity between them.

But all Mei replied was, "It's Team A's serve! Let's go, Asahi-san!"

Asahi grabs the ball, trying to shake off all the moment's tension, but ends up serving short.

Tanaka launches himself to the ground and barely receives the short serve. "Cover!"

Kageyama immediately goes for it but in that millisecond, something clicks off in his brain. From just a few feet away, Mei can almost sense it. It was like his usual, natural talent for the sport disappeared and when the ball comes in contact with his fingers, he could barely feel it. He couldn't sense the feeling of the fabric against his hands. The set goes just a little too tight and Hinata's face comes directly in contact with the ball.

It ricochets off the net, falling to the ground with a thud and bouncing away slowly.

There's an unusual silence, once again. But this time, Mei is raging.

"What on earth was that?!" she freaks out. "How can you be so easily affected by what I said? Do you want to know something? Professional volleyball players have to have the skill to push aside emotions while they play and just from that play, I can tell that you just don't have that sk—"

"WOULD YOU STOP IT!?"

Mei frowns, staring at her brother like he's an alien. "Excuse me?"

"Would you freaking stop acting like you know everything?! Stop acting like you're so much better than me and that you can order me around! Just a minute ago, you were freaking about how I don't treat people as an equal, but right now, you're picking on me like I'm some piece of trash! Maybe I don't have as much talent as you. I can't put away my feelings while I play. But that doesn't mean you can go around embarrassing me in front of people whose opinions I care about and acting like you have the power to hurt me"

Kageyama turns away. He calmly reaches for his belongings and exits the gymnasium silently.

Mei looks down at the ground, her eyes crystal with tears. "Um…I'm sorry, guys. I should go."

 _WHOA, KAGEYAMA, BABY! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MEEEE? WHAT AM I DOING TO POOR KAGEYAMA BABY?_

 _Please review and rate!_


	4. Chapter 3

~3~

 _So, I finally got my computer to work and now I can get the story rolling! Sorry, it's been quite a while since I've posted and so I'll try my best to make this chapter one of my best! :) AND OMG DID YOU GUYS SEE THE FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON 2?! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AH MY BABIES ARE BACK! I read the manga though, so lol I know what happens. But no spoilers here if you haven't read it or seen Season 2._

 _Disclaimer: I don't Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own Mei._

Mei POV:

I open my mouth.

"Don't."

I fold my arms over my chest, wishing I could bang my head against the age-tainted window of the stinking bus. Urges surge in my brain, telling me to say something, but I can't find the right words to say. Instead, I end up violently kicking the fortunately vacant seat in front of me till my foot ached.

"Would you quit making yourself so unpleasant everywhere?" Tobio reprimanded, as if he were the older twin. He flashes an apologetic frown at the old man sitting in front of him. "Sorry about her."

I roll my eyes. "Can we talk about this?" I finally ask.

"We could." I raise my head from my hands. "But we won't."

I want to grab him by his collar and freaking serve him like a volleyball across the bus. That'll give him a kick. But if I do, it'll leave a mark on his face and then I'll have to go and apologize to Ukai for making his star setter look like he was a delinquent who just got into a fight.

The bus pulls to a stop and I purposely step on Tobio's feet as we exit. He gives me a glare but doesn't say a word.

I stare at the gymnasium, people already flooding inside to watch the much-awaited Battle at the Trash Dump. I make a silent prayer. _Please, don't notice me…please, don't_. Thank god Tobio's mad at me right now, or else he would've asked me if I knew something about them.

I enter and immediately, the atmosphere welcomes me. My hunger for competition rages and I longingly gaze at the court, dying to touch a volleyball. I instinctively gaze over at the other team, Nekoma, but turn away almost just as instantly. _No_ , _Mei. Don't look._

I practically force myself to walk over to where Karasuno was stretching, pulling my lips into a deceiving smile. "Ukai here yet?" I inquire.

Ennoshita-san shakes his head in response. "He told us that since you're going to be his co-coach, you can handle warm ups and at least the first game."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. "Co-coach?! He did _not_ say anything about that." Dang it, Ukai. Always one step ahead of me. "Wait, first game? How many games are you guys planning to play?"

At this, the team laughs. "Till Hinata runs out of energy," Sugawara-san says with a gleeful smile.

"So, you'll probably be here forever," I reply. My phone buzzes and I check it. "According to Ukai, we get the court after Nekoma. So while they're warming up, practice setting in groups of three at the side, kay? When we get out onto the court for our turn, two laps around the entire court. Afterwards, get into a line. One person will serve, one will receive, one will set, one will spike and rotate. Got it?"

They all nod without complaint, but Tobio's dark blue eyes refuse to meet mine. _Just wait, baka. You'll see that what I said was true. If you're going to continue to stay angry at me, you're not going to do well today._

"Suga-san, set a little higher! That one nearly hit the net!" I call. " _Oi_ , Hinata, what was that receive? Lock your arms!" "Noya-san, you can set too, if you need to!" "Yamaguchi, nice serve! That was beautiful!"

I put my hand to my head, staring at the list of players. I have no idea who I should start with. I want to ask Suga-san to start, but Tobio will think it's just me being annoyed with him and he'll push himself harder than necessary. If I put Yamaguchi in to serve at the beginning, will he get too nervous? UGH.

The group huddles around me and mostly, I'm focused on the clock, hoping I have enough time to explain what I want done and to give a decent pep talk. Gosh, I'm the worst at those. I mean, it's easy to make people feel good about themselves but how do you balance various levels of self-esteem to match the rest of the team?

"Okay, we're serving first. So I'm going to have Asahi-san start. Tobio, after Asahi serves, you'll switch with Suga-san. Okay? Here's the rest of the line-up."

Tanaka Hinata Suga (Kageyama)

Captain Noya (Tsukki) Asahi

"Yamaguchi, I want you to be ready at any moment, because you'll be swapped in when I need you, okay?" I stare at the freckled boy. His hands are quivering a bit. I grab them and slap them. "You can't be scared, 'kay?"

"That basically scares him even mo—" Tsukishima starts.

"Shut up, Glasses." I glance around. "Look, I'll be honest: I know some of Nekoma's members and trust me, they're forces to be reckoned with. I haven't talked to them for a couple of years now, but I know they'll have something up their sleeves. I'd say, play our volleyball. They're like the ocean; they'll sweep you up in their current and before you realize it, you're stuck."

I lower my voice. "I want you to use this first set to try and tire them out. If I had one thing to say most of them lack in, it's stamina. Serve and spike to contact. If it's barely out on your side, go for it. I live by one rule and one rule only: there are no second chances in volleyball."

Game 1: Set 1 (Karasuno's serve)

I stand as every gets into position. As they all bow, I head over to Nekoma's coach, a short man clad in an all-red track suit. I flash a smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kageyama Mei."

"Oh, no, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kageyama-san. I recently read your article in _Volleyball Weekly_ and you're all anyone in the volleyball world can talk about…well, maybe with the exception of Shiratorizawa's Ushijima-san." He lets out a humble chuckle.

I bit my lip at the mention of Ushijima. "Oh, well, thank you. And your name is?"

"Nekomata Yasufumi. Best of luck to your team. And let Ukai know I said hi, okay?"

I smile and nod, walking back to the bench. I sit at the very edge, my hands clasped together on my knees. _Please…please, win._

Asahi serves and at that moment, I knew I chose the right person to start. His serve was controlled, powerful, yet overwhelming enough to frighten anyone.

Unfortunately, the libero easily receives it. I stare at Kenma, his forehead shining with a thin sheet of sweat. _Yes, that is what I want. Sweat buckets, Kenma_.

Then I see him. How can you not? His tall, lean body leaps into the air like a graceful, light-footed cat and his spiky black hair is pushed back. His muscular, toned arm swings and the sound is deafening.

… _BOOM!_ Noya-san reaches for it and it barely reaches his arm. "Cover!"

Thank god for Suga-san. He really is a talented setter. Calm, collected, and reliable…if only Tobio could be that reliable. I remember my conversation with Suga-san just a few moments ago…

 _"_ _Suga-san, I want you to focus on Tanaka-san, okay?"_

 _The grey-haired 3_ _rd_ _year glances at me, surprised. "Okay…why?"_

 _"_ _I want to use this game as an opportunity to remind Hinata that he doesn't have to face this…this wall, as he calls it, alone. I don't even know if he'll notice, but it's worth a shot right? Just go with it, okay?"_

 _Hesitantly, he nods and walks away._

 _6-4._ I must've zoned out a little bit. Dang it. And we're losing too.

I see little Hinata serving, concentration evident on his face even from where I sit. He serves and thankfully, it grazes over the net, causing Kenma confusion as he quickly receives it. _Yes, Kenma. See, I can mess with your mind._

Then he comes back. Kuro runs up from the back, slamming it right towards Tsukishima, who didn't jump high enough. I FREAKING TOLD HIM SO MANY TIMES-

Tsukishima lowers his right arm and lets the ball ricochet off it, over Sawamura-san's head, right towards Suga-san. He does a quiet set to Captain and we score a point.

Did…did Tsukishima actually _save_ it? Guess I don't give him as much credit as he deserves. When he actually tries, he's pretty good, surprisingly. At that moment, his arm moved so naturally, so effortlessly; I'm almost jealous. Maybe I should apologize later.

I turn back to the game. _Stop zoning out, Mei!_ But then I wish I didn't look back. Because I see my younger twin brother and Kuro lying on the ground, a trickle of blood streaming from Tobio's nose.

Oh. my. gosh.

 _Oh wow, I didn't really mean for it to end that way. But, my hand is falling asleep…Look forward to the next chapter to see why Kageyama is bleeding!_

 _Please review & rate! 3_


	5. Chapter 4

~4~

 _A long chapter to make up for my disappearance of a month and a half…or so._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own my OC._

Mei POV:

I leaped to my feet, but Takeda-sensei gripped my arm, his calm black eyes telling me not to move from my seat from behind those thick black glasses. I contemplate refusing to stay, but I bite my tongue HARD and force myself to sit.

"What happened? Sorry, I spaced," I whispered to him as a bench member from Nekoma escorted the two discombobulated volleyball players. _God, this isn't good. We're not even halfway through the first set and Tobio's already injured. Well at least the other guy's probably out for this and the next set._

"I'm not really sure how it happened honestly…," Takeda-sensei murmurs, his hands evidently fidgety due to our situation. "You see, Kageyama-kun…well, your brother was spiking the ball and that captain from Nekoma jumped to block it. So they were both touching the ball, and right before the referee blew the whistle, your brother lost. The ball comes full-force at his face and while his arm comes down, his nails scrape across their captain's face."

I snort. "That sounds entirely impossible. Tobio's nails shouldn't be that long in the first place."

"It all happened in a flash." Takeda-sensei looks about nervously, as if he was afraid he recounted the situation inaccurately.

I roll my eyes. For a teacher, this guy's kind of a wimp. But whatever; now's not the time to worry about him. I raise my hand. "I need a time-out. Geez, now I have to rethink the entire game plan." I can practically feel the gears of my mind churning. _How am I going to help Hinata reach his full potential in this game without Tobio?! UGH!_

The team gathers around me, some concerned, some bewildered, some indifferent.

Hinata opens his mouth to say something but I'm not planning on giving him a chance to speak.

"According to Takeda-sensei, there was a battle for the ball." I glare at all of them. I can feel my emotions rising up in my words. "I do NOT want to see that again, got it? So what if you know a blocker is going to block it? Don't be self-centered; there are excellent receivers behind you who will get the ball if it passes you! This team does NOT need egotistic maniacs like that idiotic brother of mine! If I see that again, I will report it to Ukai and make sure you spend the rest of the season cleaning the gym floor. Do you guys hear me?!"

They all mumble in consent.

I let out an exasperated groan. I'm not frustrated with them honestly. It's just Tobio. What the heck was he even thinking? He's been playing volleyball with these people to know better. Sometimes, he needs to get a reality check.

Next: Suga-san, I am really going to need you for this and the next set." I don't bother waiting for a response. "Everyone else, push for every point. I don't freaking care if it's just the first set. Pretend it's the final set of the nationals. I do NOT want to see any slacking off or self-centeredness like Tobio just showed."

I finally look up and see their faces. _God, what am I doing? I shouldn't be yelling at them like this right now. This is why I'm not suited to be a coach. I don't know how to help; I only know how to give directions. "Be a good, kind coach" the stupid little voice in my head says. Haha, if only._

I heave a sigh. "I believe in you guys, okay?" An idea pops into my head. "Best performance wins a full-day date with me, okay?" I half-joke with a grin.

They let out a cautious burst of laughter, some even actually taking me seriously about that. _These people are so simple…_

The buzzer rings, indicating the end of the time out. "Go get 'em, crows."

Game 1: Set 2 (Nekoma's serve)

 _27-25. So close, yet not enough._

I force a smile on my face. "Chin up, guys. Let's take it back in the second set and show them that we're not the fallen crows, 'kay?"

A long pause fills the air. Every eye is upon me, waiting.

"What?" I knit my brow together, unsure what they're doing. "Why are you looking at me like I just grew a second head?"

"You're not going to like…I dunno, go all monstrous captain on us?" Hinata blurts out.

"Hinata!" Suga-san says in a reprimanding tone.

 _Is that what they think of me?_ "Sorry to disappoint? Anyways, just keep doing what you're doing. Play our volleyball." _I don't even know what I'm saying. I'm such a bad liar._ "I know we can win, guys." _Do you really believe that, Mei?_ "Give it your all!" _Like their all is enough._ "I'm here for you guys." _Haha, who am I kidding? I'm cheering on people I've barely known._

"Karasuno, fight!"

Minutes into the set and I'm already groaning. I can sense the difference in skill level between the two teams and let's just be honest, the odds of this game are not in our favor. I can see every member fighting their hardest; don't get me wrong. But even without their captain, Nekoma's going strong and snagging every possible point.

 _15-13_. I stare at the score, wishing I had an idea of what to do. To be real, Nekoma's flaws are pretty invisible. For any ordinary person, you'd never notice them. I do, but to put them to our advantage is no easy task. Maybe it's because their members mirror ours, but they're just less transparent. _Think, Mei, think. That #4 is really similar to Tanaka-san…what would Tanaka-san do in this situation._

My attention diverts back to the game just in time to see #6 leap into the air. His arm swings down swiftly, his expression remaining indifferent.

"Out!"

 _Barely_. The holes in our team are more obvious than Hinata, and that's saying a lot considering his loudness, bright orange hair, and short stature. But how do I patch it up until we can make improvements?

"Serve!"

#7, a plain, brown-haired guy, darts to his left, his movements so agile and graceful; I would kill for his abilities. _He's not even the libero and he's that fast?! God, for an average Tokyo high school, they've got some pretty monstrous people on Nekoma's volleyball team._

I nudge Takeda-sensei with my knee. "I need a time-out."

He gives me a look and I already know what he's going to say. "I don't care how crucial the 3rd set may be. If I don't do this, we're not going to have a 3rd set, got it?" I reason, trying to keep calm before I explode.

Takeda-sensei shakes his head, as if he were looking down on me or something. But he relents without a word.

"I see you're holding up well," a sarcastic voice says from behind me.

I don't bother to look. "Of course I am. I had to because you were a stupid, selfish pig in the first set and got yourself hurt," I respond indignantly, purposely reaching for my water and taking a long gulp. A buzzer rings and everyone starts to hurry to us.

"It was a freaking bloody nose, not a broken bone!" he cries out defensively.

"Yeah, whatever. You still had to leave and see what good that's done us," I spit. _So much for being a decent coach. I'm sick of trying to be the good Ukai-like coach. This is stupid._ When the team finally gathers around us, their faces flushed with concern…or maybe just exhaustion.

I go through every single one of them. "Asahi-san, your serves are getting a little too powerful. Watch out; one of them was out but the ref called it in anyways. Suga-san, your quick sets are slowing down. Remember to focus on the ball, not the spiker. Captain, good judgment, but I need you to get every ball that's close. You never know if it's out. Tanaka-san, your spikes are good but remember to control them. Noya-san, you don't need to keep using your feet. Believe in your hands and if you need to, just set the ball. Hinata, just remember to count. Timing is everything when it comes to spiking. Tsukishima, great job blocking but I want you to remember to arch your fingertips just slightly when you block, okay? Formation's important. Yamaguchi, great serve when I needed you then. It's getting better so be prepared to be put in again."

I inhale and exhale, trying to calm my racing heart. _Not the right time to get all flustered, Mei_. "Suga-san, I'm going to put Tobio in for the rest of the set. I promise you'll start in the third set, okay?"

Tobio stares at me, his dark blue eyes twinkling with superiority. "You sure you want to let the 'selfish pig' go back in?" he mocks.

"Don't be so immature. You may be selfish, but I'm not stupid enough to let a good player waste themselves on the bench. Now, go already. I'm sick of looking at your face already."

"Right back at you. Oh wait, we have the freaking same face!" he replies and I almost laugh, but choke it down.

 _It's going to be okay…right? We're going to win._

End of Set 2:

 _30-28. Of course._

"I'm not going to bother trying to suck up to you guys, okay?" I start when we silently sit down for lunch outside the gymnasium at some picnic tables. "There were vital flaws but you know what we do with flaws? We grind them till they become our strengths."

Tobio gives me a look, applauding. "Wow, I feel so much better," he announces sarcastically.

"Tobio, shut up," I tell him. "I did this thing with my volleyball team where after every game, win or lose, we'd say what the person on their right did well and what they could improve on. Another opinion is always better to have than just you beating yourself up about some minor mistake. I'll start: Tobio did a great job in the second set by not letting his injury get to him and keeping all of his sets clean and arching. But I wouldn't have had to worry about his injury in the first place if he had thought about his team instead of just himself."

"Hold it—," Tobio starts to say but I interrupt.

"By the way, you can't defend yourself for what you're accused of. We only tell the truth about each other, got it? Maybe a false statement meant to put down a peer and you'll be on the bench for the next game," I say. _Maybe this co-coach gig isn't so bad after all._ "Tobio, what do you have to say about Hinata?"

He studies the orange-haired boy, who was rapidly stuffing himself with sushi that Kiyoko-san prepared for today. "Hinata spiked well today, just as normal. He's learning to use both the flashy toss and the normal one in games. But he needs to learn to serve better."

"Hinata?"

"Noya-senpai was super cool today! When Kenma saw his Rolling Thunder, he even raised his eyebrows like this!" Hinata's thin orangish brows go up dramatically, causing the group to laugh. "Oh, but he did have a bad receive here and there."

At this praise, Noya-san flushed with pride. "Ehehehe."

They continued going around, and thankfully, everyone was pretty nice about complimenting and giving advice to each other. Well, until we came to Tsukishima, who just so happened to be sitting to my left.

"Who's Tsukishima supposed to compliment?" someone says.

"Mei-san!" Noya-san jokes with a cheeky grin.

"Hah?" Tsukishima responds, making a disgusted face. "There's nothing to compliment."

I glared at him. "That's rude."

He rolls his eyes. "Fine. I guess you did a decent job coaching us today. And yeah, you were right about the stupid blocking thing. But you're still an idiot. After all, you're related to Kageyama."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tobio flares.

"Oops. Did I say that out loud?" Tsukishima says cheekily.

"By the way, who won?" Tanaka-san askes eagerly.

I raise my brow. "Won what?"

"The best performance thing! You said whoever had the best performance gets to go on a full-day date with you," Noya-san explains.

 _OH CRAP, I THOUGHT THEY'D FORGET ABOUT THAT._ "Uh, no winner?" I say hopefully.

"I'd say Tsukishima," Captain suggests with a too-genuine smile for trust.

"HAH?! EW!" I gag in unison with Tsukishima.

"We all know Tsukishima secretly likes Mei-san!" Suga-san teases, finishing off the sandwich in his hand.

"When did this happen?!" Tobio exclaims, glaring at Tsukishima.

Tsukishima frowns. "I have no feelings of such!" says he, holding his hands up defensively.

"Why would you even suggest that, Suga-san?" I ask the laughing 3rd year who simply gives me a cheerful smile. "Whatever. I'm going to go find Nekomata-san. I forgot to thank him for letting us have a practice game." I stalk away, leaving the 3rd years to die of laughter.

But it was weird…Suga-san isn't the type to tease like that...unless…Wait a minute, hell no! Tsukishima would never like me. Who would like such a rude, sadistic guy? How could he possibly even have feelings in general?

"So annoying," I say, just to satisfy myself.

"Great job on the game today, _Coach_."

 _No. God, no, please no._ "Uh, thanks," I quickly say, not turning. I start to pick up my pace and quiet footsteps patter behind me till they get louder and louder.

A pair of arms wraps around my waist and I find myself stuck between them. I don't bother struggling; I know better than to fight off such a strong person.

"What do you want, Kuro?"

 _OH MY GOSH I LOVE KUROOO. MY BABY. I've been trying not to mention his name the entire game, hoping to save it for this moment. YES KURO IS MY LIFE. But seriously, I'm on team TsukkiMei. I'm still trying to figure out their ship name lol._

 _Please review and rate! :)_


	6. Chapter 5

~5~

 _Chapter 5's finally here! Hope you like! :)_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own my OC._

Mei POV:

 _"_ _Great job on the game today, Coach."_

 _No. God, no, please no. "Uh, thanks," I quickly say, not turning. I start to pick up my pace and quiet footsteps patter behind me till they get louder and louder._

 _A pair of arms wraps around my waist and I find myself stuck between them. I don't bother struggling; I know better than to fight off such a strong person._

 _"_ _What do you want, Kuro?"_

He lets go, whirling me around to face him. "Aw, you're no fun. I wanted to see you look surprised~," he teases with a childish grin.

I roll my eyes, leaning against the white wall of the gym. "Immature as always," I comment indifferently. "You lack dignity, Kuro, for a third-year."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"What do you want?" I repeat. I glance at him. He's gotten pretty tall, probably as tall as Tsukishima. His hair is still strange, spiking in various, oddly natural directions.

"You're so cold around me." He pouts and I feel like he's just mocking me. "You were my best friend and you left me~ I wanted to see you."

"Gross."

His voice reverts to his normal, deep tone. "Truthfully speaking, I did want to see you. After all, you're the new coach of Karasuno."

I shrug. "Wasn't really my choice. And it's better than not having anything to do with volleyball for the rest of my high school years," I simply say.

"Yeah, I heard about that." _That's all you have to say to me?_

"It wasn't my fault," I blurt out, immediately regretting it. I'm not some pouty six year-old.

Kuro just laughs, infuriating me even more. "It kinda was. You're normally so calm on the court; it shocked all of Japan when you beat that girl up," he reasons but I can sense the carelessness in his voice.

I remember it. I remember it like it was yesterday. It almost really was; it happened less than a month ago. It was at the nationals and we were losing. Losing like hell. And it was so frustrating.

Three weeks ago; Nationals (Mei POV):

 _Beads of sweat trickle down my face like flowing rivers. Strands of hair escape from my loose ponytail, falling to my shoulders annoyingly. My uniform clings to my damp back. My chest rises and falls rapidly, my body exhausted from the past five sets._

 _I exhale sharply. "We can do this," I say weakly, forcing a smile onto my face as I glance at my teammates during our last timeout._

 _They stare at me and I stare back at them. I see it. The deep, dark emptiness in their eyes. Hopelessness. If we lose this, we're done. And they already gave up._

 _"_ _Come on!" I cry louder. "We can't back down! Not after all we've worked for! Don't you remember? The harsh training we've been through? The long nights we stayed up studying plays and signs? Every game we've fought? And you want to just give it all up because we're going to lose? I thought we agreed we'd come out fighting in every game."_

 _Mari, a wing spiker, looks at me. "Mei, we really appreciate you as our captain. You've always stuck by us and you always cheered us on whenever we were in rough situations. But this is different. We're representing Japan. If we go out their fighting a losing battle, then what are people going to think of us? That Japan's just full of lousy volleyball players who pretend they're good but they're not?"_

 _I stare at her, my mouth wide open. This can't be happening. She didn't just say that. "You're kidding right? Who the hell cares? This isn't about Japan's reputation; this is about you guys giving up too early!"_

 _Hana, our libero, nods in agreement, as the others do. "But can't you see, Mei? We're done for! We're making a fool of ourselves fighting through this. It's not worth it. Let's just get this over with."_

 _"_ _Wait a minute, I—" The buzzer signals the end of our time-out._

 _As we re-enter the court, I see it. All of them trudge their feet as they make their way to their positions. Their heads hang a little lower than normal. Their shoulders slump just slightly underneath their tight-fitted uniforms._

 _The ball comes flying over and Hana receives it, though it's sloppy. I lunge for it, sending it perfectly towards Mari. I can see the discouragement in her gray eyes, a painful look. But she just stands there. The ball falls at her feet, bouncing away till it stops at the feet of a bench player._

 _She gives me an apologetic glance though I can tell she doesn't mean it. She mouths the word_ sorry _but I don't even see it. All I can think about is how she didn't move, how she didn't even flinch when the ball came at her. I thought about how Hana's receive, how it would've went out if I didn't reach for it. How I saved it._

 _The other team has the serve still but I stomp over to Mari, passing by the middle blocker indignantly. She raises her brow, utterly confused._

 _"_ _What are you do—"_

 _My fist comes in contact with her face before she can finish her question. She goes sprawling to the ground, the wind completely knocked out of her. I grab at her, punching, slapping, crying, screaming angry words at her._ Why? Why? Do you not realize how much I've tried to be on this team, to get us to where we stand right now? Do you not realize that you're acting so selfishly and stupidly? I'm the freaking captain; I've pulled all-nighters just to figure out a game strategy and you let the stupid ball drop because you gave up?! Stop it!

 _Someone pulls me away from her but I can't stop thrashing. I can hear myself screeching at the top of my lungs because I can't tell what I'm saying. I'm just so mad and my thoughts are so unclear that I don't even remember what I'm mad about._

 _I see blood on the gym floor. It's her blood, dripping from a deep scratch on her face from my nails. Though it's blurry from the tears that block my vision, I see purple on her face, bruises from my punches._

 _Finally, someone just knocks me out and everything starts to black out. But I can still hear the commotion around me._

 _"_ _She can't control her emotions on the court," someone says._

 _"_ _I know. But I promise this won't happen-"_

 _"_ _It will. She just doesn't understand. I knew it was a mistake to have one of the younger members as the captain. They don't have enough experience to lead." There's a long pause. "Considering the injuries, I doubt she'll ever be able to play middle/high school volleyball again."_

 _And that's when everything goes away._

Current Time (Mei POV):

I shudder at the memory. "Oh, man, that was the worst day of my life," I murmur, forgetting myself.

A hand rubs my shoulder. Kuro gives me a sympathetic smile, something you definitely don't see every day. I lean against him, the memory terrorizing me. "You know how you and Tobio both got injured in the game?" I say.

"Yeah, I was there," he jokes half-heartedly. "What about it?"

"Well, it was kind of my fault. I mean, I said something to him and he took it the wrong way during a scrimmage game. Then I yelled at him for letting what I said get to him." I spit out a chuckle. "I'm such a hypocrite…"

Kuro doesn't say anything for a moment, but it feels like a century. "You just don't want what happened to you, happen to him. He's still your precious little twin brother in your mind."

"I don't think of him that way!" I tell him defensively.

"From what you just said, yeah, you do. But there's nothing wrong with wanting to protect him. You just gotta…well, let him spread his wings a bit more."

I sputter a laugh. "Was that supposed to be a crow reference?"

"Whatever it takes to get you to smile," he replies, reverting back to his usual teasing self.

I nudge him with my shoulder, finding myself surprisingly tired from the day. "Stop it~You keep changing your attitude in the middle of our conversation," I complain. "I can never tell when you're serious or not."

"That's what makes it all the more interesting, right?"

"It's annoying," I respond.

He playfully raises a brow. "My, aren't we being brutally honest."

"UGH!" I groan but I'm laughing. "It's nice having a…well, decent conversation with you. It's been a long time. I've been doing all the talking about myself; how's it going with Kenma? I see he dyed his hair blonde."

Kuro sighs. "He said he didn't want to stand out but I think the blonde just made it worse. How many fully Japanese people have blonde hair?" he remarks.

I giggle, remembering when he had jet black hair. "He's still strange. But I gotta say, he's gotten a lot better at volleyball; that's for sure."

"Aw, what about me?" comes the lighthearted response.

I roll my eyes. "What about you?"

"Have I gotten better, O wise volleyball player?"

"I suppose," I say, going along with him. "But you're not suited to be captain."

"You're one to talk," he says dryly.

His sudden change of tone surprises me. "Oh come on, you know that you're a great captain. Don't be stupid."

"Whatever." Clearly, he didn't want to go there. Something must've happened…

I turn away from him, touching a yellow tulip amongst the flowers in the small bed. I give it a tug and hand it to him. "As a commemoration of our friendship," I announce. Oh God, I'm so cheesy.

He takes it, touching the silky petals gently. He glances at the flower bed as well, reaching over to the bed of tulips. His long, elegant fingers find a red one, grasping its smooth stem and pulling. "Here. You can have one too."

"Oh, I didn't realize this was your school's! I'll plant it back in." I begin to dig with my bare hands but he stops me.

"It's okay. Just keep it. I won't tell the garden club." Kuro offers a small smile. It feels weird seeing him smile a real smile, not his sadistic smirk, so often.

I shrug, brushing dark dirt from my fingers and underneath my polished nails. My phone buzzes in my pocket. "Oh, I guess I should get going. I'll see you!" I get up to leave.

Outside the gym (Kuro POV):

I watch as she leaves, the red tulip I gave her clutched between her fingers. Her back looks so small against the setting sun. The gentle breeze carries her dark waves, flying behind her in a long mane.

"Red tulips mean love, stupid. Even I know that," I mutter.

Mei POV:

I begin to run, heading straight for the bus. _Shoot, I hope they weren't waiting for me._ I jump inside, gasping, "Sorry…I got caught up…talking…"

"To Nekoma's coach?" Sawamura says suspiciously.

For a brief moment, I hesitates. Something tells me I shouldn't let them know I'm close with their rival's captain. I give a quick nod. "Yeah," I briefly reply before slipping into a vacant seat beside Suga-san.

At first, it appeared that the grey-haired third-year was asleep so I tried to move quietly in order to not disturb him as I dig through my bag for a book.

" _Na_."

I look up in surprise to see Suga-san leaning close to me. "Eh?"

"Don't worry. I'll keep your little secret safe with me," he whispers into my ear.

I glance at him. "Huh?"

"I saw you with Nekoma's captain. But it's okay; I won't tell anyone." He pulls away, an innocent smile on his normally pale face.

"Uh, thank you." Dang it. His gentle demeanor is very misleading. I'll have to remember to be careful around him.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Hinata asks curiously from behind us.

"Eh? Oh, nothing!"

 _Uh, lol I didn't know how to end that. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed it! I tried to make it longer that I usually do since I haven't been updating consistently. Please review and rate!_


	7. Chapter 6

~6~

 _Chapter 6; here it is! :)_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu nor any of its characters. If I did, I would marry Suga. And probably make Kuro marry Tsukki because #teamKuroshima, even though that ship isn't very popular. :(_

Mei POV:

It's been three days since the Nekoma game and the team's been working their butts off to polish their skills and work at their weaknesses. Ukai really was right; this team is by no means ordinary. Each of them shines in their own way with their different abilities and they form a crazy strong team that no one should underestimate.

" _Oi_."

I glance away from my clipboard, courtesy of Takeda-sensei, to see my brother standing in front of me, a red and green volleyball wrapped in his arms. "What's up, little brother?" Ever since the game, we've been okay. Not completely back to our normal casual arguments, but we're not angry anymore.

"Uh…" Tobio lowers his voice, which is rather difficult for someone with a naturally deep tone. "Do you mind watching my serve?"

I chuckle. This causes him to grow redder. "Hey, I'm asking for help here!" he says louder.

Everyone turns to him, shocked. " _Maji_?! Kageyama is asking for help?!" many cry in utter surprise.

Unable to control myself, I sputter out a fit of laughter. "God, Tobio, you have…a terrible…reputation here!" I exclaim between giggles. "Sure, I'll watch your serve."

Embarrassed, Tobio stomps over to the serving line, inhaling and exhaling slowly to calm himself down. Finally, he tosses it and smacks it all the way across the court. It hits right in the center.

After a moment, I ask, "Were you trying to hit there?"

"Uh…" He hesitates briefly. "Yeah, I guess."

"Do you know why I asked you that?"

"…not really."

I stare at him. "Because the libero would have easily received that. You see, you have to go for the corners if you want to be a good server. The wing spikers, the people who spend their time focusing on offense, will be there so you gotta aim at them." I pause. "Your form is excellent, as always, and your power is above average. I want you to focus right now on control, okay? Keep practicing."

I get up to walk away and help out others who were practicing serving but I stop when I feel his gaze on me.

"…thanks. For the uh, advice, I mean," he mutters sheepishly. "I know I acted like a jerk before the Nekoma game…"

I raise my brow. _Tobio? Apologizing? I've never heard him sincerely and initiatively apologize…_ "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to be that hard on you." I briskly get up. Talking like this is making me crazy uncomfortable and I can tell he was too. "Well, I better get to helping them out."

I quickly walk away. "Tanaka-san, nice serve! Keep trying, Hinata!" I call as I head over to where half of them stood on one side of the court, the other half on the opposite side. As I walk though, I notice a petite girl peering inside from the doorway.

I smile at her, going up to her. Her light brown eyes widen when she sees me and she immediately disappears.

"Hey, wait!" I call over to her.

Her back hunched, she slowly turns back, her expression appearing terrified. "Y-yes? I'm s-sorry for watching when…I'm not supposed t-too," she stutters, frightened out of her wits.

"Oh, no, it's alright," I say, hoping my smile is calming and not scaring her. "You must be the new manager Kiyoko was telling me about. She said that you recently joined the team."

Her adorable face flushes pink as she fiddles with her fingers, not making eye contact with me. "Uh…mm." She quickly nods a yes.

"That's great! We could use another manager." I offer my hand to her. "I'm Kageyama Mei, the co-coach, but you can just call me Mei. Everyone does. I'm a first-year from class 1-4. You might've met my twin brother, Kageyama Tobio. Black hair, blue eyes, super scary?"

She accepts my hand, shaking it with a gentle grip. "I'm Hitoka Yachi, a first-year in class 1-5. I-I think I met your brother…"

 _This girl is so cute! Look at her short blonde hair and her big brown eyes!_ "Well, you can come on in. No need to be shy. You're part of the team now." I grab her hand and lead her inside, much to her surprise.

"Yachi-san!" Shoyo bounds over to us almost the moment we enter the gym. "Thank you for helping me study for my test! I just know I'll be to get a double-digit score!"

I look at the small girl, who just smiles. "You're welcome, Hinata-kun."

"You can call me just Hinata!" says the perky orange-haired boy with a wide grin.

"T-then you can call me Yachi," she replies quietly.

"Okay then, Yachi!" Shoyo makes an "ok" sign with his hand.

I giggle. _These two are kind of cute together._ "Shoyo, quit flirting and get back to practice." I call out loud, "Tobio, Suga, each of you get on one side of the court by the next. Two lines, we're spiking! After you spike, shag for the next person then go to the opposite line! Go!"

"Wah…you yell so loudly…," Yachi murmurs. She places her hand to her mouth. "Ah, _gomen_! I didn't mean to say that out loud! That was rude…"

 _I like this girl. She's very gentle in comparison to these guys. Maybe she'll influence the volleyball players to be a bit more considerate._ "It's okay. I was the captain of Japan's middle/high school girls volleyball team so you kind of need a loud voice," I explain to her.

She looks up at me, her shy brown eyes wide with curiosity. "Can I ask you a question?" I nod to her. "What does shag mean?"

I smile at this. "Oh, it just means to retrieve the ball the person behind you passes or spikes. It's just a smoother way of getting all the volleyballs."

She giggles a little awkwardly. "I'm sorry…I don't really know much about volleyball."

"That's alright. You can learn as we go along." I gesture at the hard-working players. "These guys are also still learning new things too." I notice Shimizu coming inside with a new set of volleyballs. "Hey, Kiyoko!" My shout turns at least a few heads on the court.

Kiyoko gazes towards our direction, flashing a small smile. "Hi, Mei-chan, Yachi-san. You've met each other?" she says in her reassuring, composed voice.

"Yup. You found a great girl who has tons of potential," I compliment, receiving an even wider grin from the pretty brunette and an embarrassed blush from Yachi.

Yachi stutters," A-arigato…"

"Oh, by the way, while you were gone, Takeda-sensei announced that we'll be joining Nekoma and a few other volleyball teams at their usual summer practice games," mentions Kiyoko. "It starts next week right after final exams."

I start. "The summer? With Nekoma…?"

She nods. "And a few other volleyball teams," she repeats, her brow raised suspiciously. But she doesn't mention it.

"Practice games…," I murmur. _Great. I have to spend my summer with Kuro. I don't know whether to be happy or annoyed._

"Ah, _ano_ …"

My thoughts return to the current. "Yeah, Yachi?"

"Who is Nekoma?"

"Oh, Nekoma's a school in Tokyo. Ukai—I mean, Ukai-sensei's grandfather was good friends with Nekoma's coach, so we were kind of like friendly rivals with their school," I clarify for her.

"Ah, I see…"

"You're coming too, of course!" I tell her with a grin.

She looks surprised, as if what I just told her was all she could ever ask for. "R-really? Even though I'm new?" she exclaims.

"Of course! I just joined the team a while ago so no sweat." I laugh a little. "Well, there'll be plenty of sweat. A manager's job is always busy."

"Mei-chan!"

I turn. "What's up, Shoyo? You guys done with hitting lines already?"

"Yup! We're taking a water break." His brown eyes are illuminated with delight and energy. "Did you hear? We get to play Nekoma again! And a ton of super strong teams!" he announces with extreme vigor.

"So I hear. Lookin' forward to it, I see."

"Yup!" Shoyo dances away to where everyone else was chugging water and wiping away sweat from their necks.

"Wait a minute, Shoyo. Tobio, you too. I heard your grades aren't doing too well," I say. "You better be careful during final exams. You might have to stay back and re-take them or even have supplementary lessons if you don't!"

Tobio stares at me, his expression paralyzed with fear. I glance at Shoyo, who's face matches Tobio's.

"Oh God."

 _I thought I'd try to go along with the second season's plot line so that it'd kind of match up. So I'm going to try to give you guys the next chapter every Saturday (when every new episode comes out) I'm trying to get another chapter in today so that It'll match up better._

 _Please review and rate!_ _J_


	8. Chapter 7

~7~

 _Here's the Tokyo Expedition Arc! :) Sorry, I didn't get the chance the finish the chapter over the weekend._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu nor any of its characters._

Normal POV; At the gym in Tokyo ( _I have no idea what it's called so_ ):

Mei glances nervously about the court, her hands unconsciously fiddling around busily.

Yachi goes up to her, a concerned look on her face. "Um, Kageyama-san, are you alright?"

"Hm? Yeah," she mutters in response without looking up from the blank clipboard she had grabbed.

"Are you sure?" the girl presses gently.

An empty silence fills the gymnasium where they stand. Karasuno was playing against Ubugawa, a team filled excellent servers that make you shake at their power and control. Karasuno was losing, 16-18.

"Yeah," Mei finally says. "I'm just a bit concerned."

"About what?"

"Our team…our team is the weakest out of all of these Tokyo teams, no doubt. You don't even have to look at the scores. Our foundation isn't very firm and our individual weaknesses are just so obvious." She stares at her feet. "I told them that we'd work on them but there's something…something these teams have that we don't..."

The small blonde girl watches the other in complete loss for words. "W-well, everyone's trying their best. And what matters is that they have fun right?"

Mei kicks a bottle of water, entirely frustrated. She wanted to lash out at the girl, to scream at her that she didn't understand, that she wasn't the coach and she didn't know volleyball. But she didn't. She rises to her feet and chucks the clipboard at the bench she had been sitting on, so hard that the clipboard snaps in half. Then she walks away, leaving Yachi to pick up the remnants of wood.

A figure runs after her, grabbing her shoulder. She tosses his hand aside silently. She then proceeds to walk into a grassy, empty field nearby and lie down.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be in there…oh, I don't know, PLAYING?" she inquires in a scarily calm tone.

"I was banned from playing that game because that annoying shrimp got me in trouble," Tsukishima replies coolly. He sits on the rich, bright green grass. "Should you be in there…oh, I don't know, COACHING?"

"Haha," she chokes a half-hearted sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, I should be…but I'm pissed so I don't want to watch."

"Why're you pissed?"

"Why do you care?"

"Why shouldn't I care?"

"Because you're Tsukishima," Mei answers matter-of-factly. "That fact that you don't care about others makes you who you are."

"Happy Tsukishima Appreciation Day to you too."

She sits up, staring at him. "It is Tsukishima Appreciation Day. I _wish_ I don't care about others and what they think. But it pisses me off like hell that we're so weak," she complains.

Tsukishima feigns a wince. "Ouch."

"Very amusing. But it's true. I want us to work harder and harder but…" _I don't want you guys to come to hate me like my team did_ , she thinks to herself. "It's funny how we never get along; we just spit sarcastic remarks at each other all day long," she changes the topic quickly before Tsukishima can say anything. "Hey, can I call you Kei? You can call me Mei. Hey, that kinda rhymes."

He stares at her, his golden brown eyes indifferent. "Are you high or something?" After a moment, he says, "I don't really care what you call me."

"You're so boring…," comments Mei, flopping back down onto the grass.

Suddenly, everything flashes by.

Mei widens her eyes to see Tsukishima's face, inches from hers. She can feel his warm breath against her cheeks. She can see the small details in his rich golden orbs behind the shield of his shiny lenses. She can see the silkiness and volume of his short blonde hair. "Kei?" she tries, staring at him in shock.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY SISTER?!"

Tsukishima quickly gets off of the flabbergasted girl, his expression indifferent as always.

Kageyama runs up to him, grabbing him by his uniform's collar. "You bastard-"

" _Oi_ , Tobio," Mei says, touching his shoulder. "You'll rip the threads of his uniform."

"That's the last thing on my mind, Mei! I'll rip the muscles of his arms before his uniform!" He shoots a highly disturbed glare at the surprisingly calm Tsukishima, who simply smirks.

He raises his brow, almost mockingly. "Would you be mad if I dated your precious older sister?" he jokes.

"Why you-AH!"

Mei puts down her foot from where she kicked her brother. "You're being annoying, Tobio. Put him down." Reluctantly, the setter obeys. "Kei and I aren't like that, sheesh. It was just an accident. Right, Kei?" She gives the addressed male a look that says to just go with it.

"Duh."

Kageyama protests, "But you just called him by his first na—"

"Shut up, Tobio." And with that, she turns on her heel to leave Kageyama and Tsukishima alone.

Hinata comes running with Tanaka's older sister trailing behind him. " _Oi_ , Kageyama, the minute we stopped, you dashed all the way over here just to see Tsukishima?" he comments with a grimace.

In the shadows of the trees nearby, two figures stand, one watching with a displeased eye, the other staring at a game console.

"Who knew that Tsukishima had it in him." A cat-like smirk spreads across the watching figure's face. "This is interesting."

Mei POV:

 _Why? Why the hell did Tsuki-I mean, Kei, do that?_ I look up at the blue sky, not a single puffy white cloud in sight. _I doubt he thinks of me in that way…he must be toying with me…with that sadistic smirk of his._

"Hey, Mei!"

I glance over my shoulder absentmindedly to see a blonde Ukai approaching. "What's up, Ukai?"

"You seemed rather, uh…disconcerted during the game," says he in a careful manner. "What's up?"

Avoiding his question, I ask, "We lost, didn't we?"

"Are we that bad in the eyes of Japan's girls volleyball captain?"

I roll my eyes at the title. _Thanks for mentioning it._ "We're not bad at all. It's just that they're really good." I pause for a brief second. "And we have a lot of holes that need fixing."

"That's what we're here for, right?" Ukai leans against the wall of the gym casually as we talk.

"Yeah…," I murmur, apathetic. "I want to work personally with all of them, because I really think that if they were individually stronger (not that they aren't strong right now) then they match up even better with these teams as a whole."

Ukai smiles. "Spoken like an old geezer."

"So I'm turning into you?" I tease. "But really, I mean it." I pull out two crumpled pieces of paper I had been scribbling on during the match.

"What's that?"

I hold up the larger one, folded neatly though wrinkled. "This one's notes on what each player should work on." I hand Ukai the other. "This is a schedule of available time we can use the gym. Each pair I chose can select two times they can work with me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take a nap for the rest of the afternoon."

The Next Day; in the gymnasium:

"First game of the day with Nekoma!" Ukai announces. "How'd we do yesterday?"

Kiyoko whips out a notebook, scanning pages with her dark grey eyes. "Today will be our third set with Nekoma. Yesterday, the scores were 17-25 and 19-25, both our losses," she answers.

"Simply put, we haven't won a single set yet. So, let's go at full force and beat the crap out of them, okay?" says Ukai.

"YES!"

I watch the court, keeping my eye especially on Tobio and Shoyo. Ever since this morning, Shoyo's been a bit on his guard. I notice him make eye contact with the extremely tall grey-haired guy on Nekoma who I haven't seen before. I heard he's half-Russian.

The set has only begun and I can already see how strong the defense has become with that guy. His height is obviously nothing to scoff at but those reflexes and his long limbs really come in handy when blocking.

 _Boom!_

"Oh my gosh…"

The hella tall new middle blocker just freaking blocked Shoyo's quick. Shoyo's eyes bulge with shock as he realizes that he had been shut down. Oh God, that's going to damage his game sense like hell. And it can't possibly be a fluke.

I see Tobio whisper to the stunned boy and I already can tell what he's telling him. _Don't freaking do more of those normal quicks, stupid! They can totally read you!_ I want to call a time-out but it's way too early to do that.

The huge guy, who I found out to be named Haiba Lev, leaps into the air. _Dang it. Did Kenma teach him to read block or something? Because clearly this guy is a self-centered idiot like Shoyo. He can't possibly have known what a read block is until he joined Nekoma._

"One touch!" "Chance ball!" Lev jumps, swinging his arm down. _3-2_.

Time out.

"Nekoma's totally reading us right now. For now, let's have Azumane and Tanaka attacking from the left," Ukai suggests.

I glare at him. "Are you stupid?"

He frowns. "Excuse me?"

"That's such an obvious tactic," I mutter.

"Well, we don't have a choice. Lev can easily block Hinata right now."

 _Whoa, great pep talk, Ukai. Way to give the kid an ego boost._

Tobio receives the ball. "Nice receive!"

"Let's get the last ball!" Daichi-san calls as he pops it up. "Sorry, it's a bit short."

"Azumane-san!" I call from where I sat. I usually don't like saying anything from the audience or the bench, but I feel like it's necessary for this kind of team. Especially for people like Azumane-san who need a bit more confidence. "What the…"

As Azumane-san is about to hit the ball, a small figure, also known as Shoyo the brat, jumps beside him. His golden eyes don't even glance at the ace; he's concentrated on the ball.

"Shoyo!"

The two collide, falling to the ground. Oh my gosh.

 _imma end mid-episode just because it's a good ending even though you probably know what happens if you follow season 2._


	9. Chapter 8

~8~

 _Here's Chapter 8! I'm trying to get in another chapter or two soon, so we'll see! :)_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu nor any of its characters._

Mei POV (gymnasium in Tokyo):

It all went downhill. Shoyou's not in it at all and everyone's on edge because of it. The game flashes by in a blur, the score's not even worth caring about.

I didn't talk to anyone for the rest of the day and the day after. What could I say? I'm completely at a loss, honestly. These past few losses have just my feelings towards our team worsen. I don't even know...am I even suited to be their coach? Can I give them the advice they need, the training they deserve? I don't know how to belong; I never have. All the teams I've been on hated my ass but they had put up with me till they broke. God, I'm such a hypocrite: I've been spending all my time yelling at Tobio for being so selfish but I'm being so self-centered and emotional. All I do is run away from responsibilities, because I don't know what else I can do.

"You don't look so good."

"Gee, thanks. I'm just tired."

The blonde sits beside me on the bench. "Yeah, that excuse is getting old. What's up?"

"How's Shoyo?" I change the subject. Yeah, because I want to go into a conversation concerning FEELINGS. Very fun.

"I can tell he's hungry. Hungry for improvement, which can generally be a good and a bad thing. Good for him, bad for those around _him_ that need to adjust, I suppose. Says he wants to spike with his eyes open and Kageyama's not letting him." He watches for a reaction from me. "I had him sit out the rest of the day. Today too."

I scoff. "You're so weak-willed. You basically did the opposite of what he wants," I say.

Ukai glances at me. "Well, what would you have done? It's not the time and place to figure out what we should do. The week before we return to training camp is when we'll discuss what we want from him. Kageyama too."

I shrug, hating how he was right. "I feel bad for the kid though." Ukai raises his brow at "kid", but doesn't interrupt. "He has so much potential bottled up in him and he just wants to release it in a game. He doesn't know how to utilize his abilities and reach that full potential."

"Spoken like someone who's been through that before," he comments.

I punch him in the gut. "I'm not going to got there and you won't mention it to a single person on this team," I say under my breath.

"Scary," replies he in a sarcastic manner. But he walks away, leaving me to bathe in the sunlight of the day.

Karasuno Gym that evening:

"See ya!" I call half-heartedly to the departing third-years. They smile tiredly and wave, making their way down the street.

The all-too familiar bounce of a volleyball against the gymnasium floor sounds, along with the squeak of volleyball shoes on the shiny floor. Who the hell is playing-a frustrated yell interrupts my thoughts. And it sounds a lot like...

"Hinata! Kageyama-kun!" Yachi cries.

I burst into the gym.

Shoyo and Tobio are practically at each other's necks, grabbing at the skin of the other's face. Their faces are covered in minor scratches and purpling bruises.

"OI!" I rip the two apart and Shoyo's nail brushes against my cheek. Ouch. I wait till they stop struggling to get at each other. Afterwards, I punch them each in the stomach.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! Someone better get talking or else this isn't going to end pretty," I scream.

Tobio folds his arms over his chest defiantly. "This stupid idiot thinks he can hit my toss with his eyes open! I'm trying to freaking tell him that he should hone the quick with his eyes closed but he won't damn listen!" he rages.

"But the one with my eyes closed gets blocked!" Shoyo protests.

"WHICH IS WHY YOU NEED TO PRACTICE IT MORE! You don't have the skill to keep your eyes open and hit it! I've let you try and you've proven to me you can't! Just shut up and follow my toss!"

Shoyo cries, "But if I work at it with my eyes open and you actually tried to help me learn, I could actually get it and we'd have TWO quicks!"

I groan. I can already tell that Shoyo does have a point but I'm not in the mood to deal with my dictator of a brother. "Look, Tobio," I say carefully. "I think if you try some different tosses, then maybe you can do that quick with Shoyo's eyes open. Come on, you guys are the crazy Karasuno duo! You two cooperate to make this work. And it's true: the spiker is the leader. Your toss has to be perfect for what he wants."

He glares at me. "Are you trying to tell me to LISTEN to him?! That what he bades is my command?!"

"Hardly. Shoyo's working hard too but you're not letting him. You're asking him to do what you want and that's not right." I sigh. This is hopeless. His expression is telling me he's holding on to this, just as stubbornly as Shoyo. "I have idea. There's no practice tomorrow so come with me. We're going to pay a visit to someone who I think will solve your problem."

"No," comes the steady response.

I look at Tobio, pissed. "NO? Pray, do tell me why you're refusing so damn stubbornly," I say, fighting to keep my voice calm.

"I think you're wrong about this one. I'm not trying to be the dictator I was then, but my tosses are what's making him strong. Good bye." And he stalks away, brushing past the frightened Yachi.

I shrug, beginning to pick up the stray volleyballs on the floor. The blonde quickly recovers and starts to help out.

"I'll go."

I glance over my shoulder. "Go where?"

"To visit the person you wanted to take Kageyama and me to. I'll go," explains he.

I smile a little. "Alright."

Normal POV; The next day after school:

"Hey, shortie."

Everyone stares as Kageyama Mei ushers a flustered Hinata into a sleek, white limo.

"Isn't this a bit flashy?" he asks before stepping inside.

She shrugs in response, tucking a stray strand of dark brown hair behind her ear. "I think it's funny how people gape. Don't get the wrong idea; I'm not _trying_ to be flashy." She gets into the limo, facing him. "Let's just say I'm not on very good terms with my dad. Sending limos to pick me up from school is just one of the many ways he tries to win my favor back."

"Why don't you like your dad?" Hinata blurts out. Immediately regretting it, he apologizes.

"Don't worry. It's really him who's mad at me." She pauses, unsure whether to continue. She messes with a few buttons on the arm rest and a shield, likely sound-proof, pops up between them and the chauffeur. "I threw a hissy fit at nationals and got kicked off the team. Boy, was my dad angry. He has some emotional issues so once in a while, he'll get upset at anything related to volleyball. Normally, he's pretty nice and all. But God, he really gave it to me. Now he's back to normal but I resent him." She looks out the window, staring at the gawking passerbys indifferently.

"Why was he so mad about you getting kicked off the team? It couldn't possibly cost much since your dad's rich enough to have limos as hand," Hinata presses, evidently curious.

And surprisingly, Mei answers, "Well, you're about to find out, I guess."

As if right on time, the limo stops. Right in front of Ukai's shop.

Hinata looks out the window, seeing Ukai close the shop door and head their way.

"You'll see."

 _Sorry, it's kinda short. Hope you liked it! :)_


	10. Chapter 9

~9~

 _Well, here's chapter 9! Hope you like it! I love Ukai's grandpa tbh; he's hilarious._

 _I want a cool grandpa like him._

 _Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I skipped this chapter because I wanted to do episode 10, so it took longer._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu nor any of its characters. The dialogue may follow the episode, but none of the dialogue is directly copied from each episode unless clearly stated._

Normal POV:

The limousine pulls up silently to a simple, tall building. Hinata opens the door before the chauffeur could even get out and begins to run inside.

"Hey, Shoyo!" Mei yells, rushing out of the limo briskly. "Let's go around the building instead, kay?"

Hinata shrugs, obliging.

Mei pushes open a gate leading to the back, Hinata following at her heels. "Hey, old man! Got a visitor for ya!" she calls. She enters through the gate, running now.

"Heh? What're ya doing here?" an older male's voice responds. "Last time I saw you, you were bumbling about getting kicked off the national team er something of that sorts."

Laid out in back is a bare plain, a volleyball court drawn on the ground and a short net set up. Children of different heights and ages stand on both sides, one clutching a volleyball in his hands at the serving line. Right by the net stands a tall man, his hair a light grey with age. His sharp, chiseled face was pulled into a superior frown. He adorns a muscle tank, his rock-hard guns flexing with little motion.

Mei rolls her eyes. She grabs Hinata by the shoulders, pushing him in front of her to face the old man. "Old man, meet Hinata Shoyo. Shoyo, this is my old geezer of a grandpa. You might know him as Ukai Ikkei."

Hinata's copper eyes go wide as he processes this information. "You're Coach Ukai?!" he cries, a hint of admiration and awe in his tone. "Wait..that means..."

"You guessed it." Hinata turns to see Ukai standing there and putting his elbow on the disgusted Mei's shoulder. "We're cousins. Our moms are sisters."

Hinata pauses. "So you brought me here to meet your grandpa to help me and Kageyama?"

Mei nods. "Tobio probably knew I would take him to Ji-san so he didn't want to come." She glances at the old man who had resumed teaching the kids on the court. "He got that side of the family's temper."

"So did you." Coach Ukai wipes his face with a towel as the kids scramble to retriever a water bottle and quench their thirst. He puts his hand on Hinata's shoulder. "I've heard lots about you, shortie. What's the problem hmm?"

Mei leans against the wall of the building. "Well..."

"So you didn't know how to deal with their weirdo quick attack and ran away, huh, Coach?" the old man finishes. He hurls Ukai into the air. "That's your team, stupid!"

Hinata shudders. Mei lets out a sigh of relief, muttering, "Thank God it's not me today..."

Ukai groans from the ground. "You annoying old man..."

"P-please help me!" Hinata blurts out with an awkward bow.

"Heee? Whaddya want? I can't help you unless you tell me."

Hinata says, "I want to learn how to fight on my own. In the air, against blockers."

"Easier said than done," comments the old man as he takes a seat. "Especially when you're only that tall."

A fire lights in his eyes. "It's because I'm only this tall."

Coach Ukai smiles a bit. "Has anyone ever said this to you? That in what we call a quick attack, the absolute leader is you?" he asks.

Mei jumps up. "That's what I said! Haha!"

Coach Ukai kicks her and up into the air she flies. "Stupid! He wouldn't be here if you said that already!"

"It's true! Mei-san did say that to me!" Hinata says quickly.

Coach Ukai looks back at the small boy. "Why didn't you that before? You don't believe it?"

Hinata stares at his feet. "It's kinda hard when you work with a genius setter like Kageyama," he mumbles.

"Genius setter...what a stupid title for someone as idiotic as Tobio," muttered Mei as she returned.

Completely ignoring her, Coach Ukai inquired, "Okay, then tell me what you think. What do you personally about this weird quick of yours?"

Hinata hesitates. "Uh...well, I just kinda jump like _whoosh_...and the set comes to me like _slash_ , and if wave my arm like _swoosh_ , my hand will come in perfect contact with the ball like _whack_!" (This is a direct quote from the episode because I didn't really know how to change what he said haha)

Ukai nudges his cousin. "Did you understand any of that?"

"Who ever does?" replies she with a shrug, waiting for her grandpa's response.

"I get it. But no matter what you say, you're still taking the initiative in this quick of yours. Just get that through your head," Coach Ukai repeats. He heads toward the net where the children awaited him, ducking underneath it. "Lemme show you something. Try to block it."

Coach Ukai shows Hinata the routes of the three tempos, much to his surprise.

"So...it'll be different depending on how fast my approach is...," he talks to himself.

Coach Ukai nods, satisfied. "That's right. Which means..."

"I'm...the leader."

He gives him a thumbs up. "That's right. The setter is the one who matches the spiker."

"The setter is the one who matches the spiker...," Ukai repeats from beside me.

I look over at him. "Huh? What's up with you?"

Instead of answering my question, a spark lights his eyes. "I'm going to borrow your limo, Mei!" he cries out, breaking into a sprint.

"Huh? What for?!" He doesn't say anything, simply running toward where the limo was parked. "Don't you want the keys?" I throw them at him and he catches them easily, hopping inside and driving away like a maniac. If he gets in an accident, Dad will kill me...

The next day:

I make sure the distance between Tobio and me is close enough that we can talk but not too close that it'd feel intensely awkward.

"So...how's practice been before we go to Tokyo?" I inquire carefully as we walk on the sidewalk to the book store.

"Okay," replies he shortly without further explanation. Thanks for keeping that conversation from dying.

I try again, "I visited the old man the other day."

"Oh, is that so?" His voice lacks emotion or interest despite his words.

"He's doing great; thanks for asking," I spit, pissed. "He's teaching kids to play volleyball now."

"You took Hinata there, didn't you?"

"Yeah. You could've come too, you know. But you refused. I thought we went over the fact that you two should try to get along. Which leads me to my previous question: have you been practicing with Shoyo?"

He shrugs. "Not really."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my precious kouhai and his oh-so-famous sister."

I start. That voice...it's far too familiar. I feel my body tense, my muscles taut.

"Aw, there's no need to be so nervous around me, poor Mei-chan," the voice says in a mock-soothing tone. "After all, we used to date."

I struggle not to waver in my voice as I turn to face the tall male. "What do you want, Oikawa-san?"

His right brow raises with an air of superiority. "'Oikawa-san'? Why, you can call me Tooru, like you used to." His lips purse into a thin smile.

"I'm alright, thank you," I say formally. "How did you know I was back?"

"I get around. Plus, I read an article that there was an incident at nationals, causing the captain of the girls volleyball team to suddenly disappear." He frowns. "I wonder what that's about."

I bit my lip. Hard. So hard, I taste the metallic taste of blood, but I keep biting, pushing away my anxiety in vain. I've been wanting to see him for forever...but why do I feel so distant from him?

"I wonder too," I mutter. When he doesn't say anything, I finally meet his eyes. Chocolate brown. Shining, alluring, as always. "Well, do you have something to say to me? Did you expect me to get back together with you the moment I came back?" Why am I getting mad? Why am I so annoyed when I should be so happy at the sight of his face? "I get around too, and I'm not blind. You've changed too."

"I didn't have that intention at all. And please, what could you know?"

I flinch. "Never mind; you haven't changed entirely. You're still a sadistic monster hidden behind a charming smile and a fake attitude."

"I take it back. You're still an insecure weakling hidden behind an indifferent expression and fame," he shoots back.

"Oi, don't talk to my sister that way," cuts in Tobio.

Toor-Oikawa-san grins. "Acting like the knight in shining armor as always, Tobio-chan. But this doesn't have to do with you. It's between Mei-chan and me."

"What do you even want from me?!" I scream, frustrated. "Did you come here just to laugh at me?"

"I didn't come here to see you. I came to see Tobio-chan, here."

Ouch. That felt like a stab in my heart.

Oikawa-san puts his elbow on Tobio's shoulder, much to his disgust. "A little bird told me there's some conflict between you and that shortie."

"That doesn't have to do with you, Oikawa-san." Tobio brushes the third year off of him.

"Well, I thought you might want a little advice from your almighty senpai, the great setter. Ever thought that the leader is the little shortie-chan?"

Tobio groans. "I don't want advice from you."

But Oikawa-san keeps going on. "You should give the shortie the kind of sets he wants. That's how a good duo functions; you give him a good set and he'll perform well."

"I hate to say it but Oikawa-san's right," I blurt out. Way to go, Mei. Look what you did, agreeing with him.

Thankfully, he ignores me. "Just think about it, okay, Tobio-chan?"

"Whatever."

"See ya!" Oikawa-san calls as he heads down the street.

"I hate that guy. What a total disappointment," I say, sitting on a bench. "Tobio?"

My little brother starts walking away, his step swift. "I'll be back!"

"What is he doing?"

Normal POV:

"Well this is a nice surprise," Ukai says genuinely. He slides a cup of tea in Kageyama's direction. "I actually had something to tell you."

Kageyama looks up from his steaming cup. "What is it?"

"You know how your sets always go to Hinata's hand at the highest point of its path?" Here, Kageyama nods. "Well, instead of doing that, what if it ends at Hinata's hand?"

"Hah? What does that even mean?"

"Meaning it would drop at where Hinata jumped. Like this." Ukai tosses a rock in the air. "Right there would be where Hinata would spike the ball."

Kageyama nods understandingly. "I think I get it..."

Ukai smirks. "This just might work..."


	11. Chapter 10

~10~

Here's a nice long chapter just because! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. All my dialogue follows the plot, but none of it is copied directly from the episode unless clearly stated.

Mei POV:

"I-is that the Tokyo Tower?!"

I sigh. "Shoyo, calm down..."

Kenma says, "That's just a transmission tower, Shoyo."

"Haha! You guys sound like you've never seen transmission towers in Miyagi," Kuro comments.

Captain seems to take this the wrong way. "The transmission towers in Tokyo all look like the Tokyo Tower to people who don't live here!"

"That's rather harsh, Daichi...," says Suga. "And we're in Saitama, not in Tokyo."

A large guy starts making his way down the stairs towards us. Oh great, it's that Russian Lev guy. I'm not in the mood to listen to him rustle up Shoyo.

"I'm heading to the gymnasium before you guys," I say, dashing up the stairs that lead to the large building before anyone can stop me. I pass by Lev but he doesn't seem to notice me. Thank God.

"Mei-chan!"

I hold up my hand for the white-haired male to slap. "Haven't seen you in a while, Bokuto. What's new?"

He grins, giving my hand a piercing high-five. "I should say the same to you. Didn't know you're the coach for Karasuno till I say your article in a magazine," he replies.

I shrug. "I get around. Plus, who else is gonna watch over my precious little brother?"

"I heard that!" Tobio shouts.

I roll my eyes. "Well, we'll catch up later. Good luck on your game!"

Bokuto raises his brow. "Oh, you didn't know? We're playing you guys."

"We'll be switching players in and out this time around, so be prepared to go in at any time, okay?!" Ukai announces as everyone huddled around. First game of the day and it had to be with Fukurodani. Thank you, Ukai, for informing me on this.

Noya-san easily receives the ball. "Got it!"

At the corner of my eye, I see Tobio go for it, Shoyo rushing to place. Oh please work out...

The ball falls to the ground, bouncing away. Every stares, their eyes empty with shock.

"What the heck? That's not like you at all..."

Shoyo appears shocked. "His toss...it's different...," he murmurs.

"Dang it, Tobio. That was too short," I mutter and I can tell he's thinking so too. "Come on..."

The ball comes over the net and Kageyama sets it. Oh now it's too far...

Shoyo reaches out his left hand. Whoa, is he going for it?! The ball ricochets off his arm, hitting the net. Please...it tips over to Fukurodani's side, much to everyone's surprise.

Shoyo stares at Tobio, their eyes contacting. I smile a bit at this. They're both changing. But so is the rest of the team.

Asahi-san with his improving jump serve...Noya-san trying to practice setting...Suga-san and the rest doing the synchronized attack...

I notice Nekoma's coach and assistant watching by the sidelines. Nekomata-san glances at me, a smile on his face. Even he can tell that our team, Karasuno, is slowly evolving. I grin back at him, my gaze returning to the game.

The set closes, 25-12. But that's okay. Because this set...it made me realize that we have the ability to level up with these Tokyo guys. Maybe not today...maybe not tomorrow...but one day.

"What are you guys doing?" I inquire, approaching the third years lying on the grass.

"We're watching that synchronized attack video again," Captain says, his eyes fixated on the glowing screen of Ukai's tablet.

I chuckle a little. "Okay, well, I'll leave you guys alone for that. Remember to sign up for personal training. First person's tomorrow." They all nod indifferently.

I notice Yamaguchi and Tsukishima by the gym.

"I'm going to practice serving Tsukki; could you-"

"I'm going to take a bath and go to sleep," cuts in Tsukishima. They stand there for a moment. "Is there something you want?"

Yamaguchi looks down at his feet. "Uh...I was just wondering you were gonna practice anything on your own," he says.

"We already practice more than necessary. Practice doesn't make perfect, no matter what they say. Good night."

Hmm...this is interesting...

I follow Tsukishima outside, curious. I can't believe this guy. He can't possibly just go to bed; he's got to be practicing somewhere else in private. No one's that weak-willed.

"Hey, you. Karasuno! The one with the glasses!"

Kuro?!

Tsukishima turns. "Hmm?"

"Could you jump some blocks for us? Bokuto here's got some spiking skills and wants to practice."

Tsukishima responds, "Oh, actually, I'm done for the night. If you're excuse me..." He bows.

"Seriously? But I can't really practice spiking if no one blocks me...," Bokuto says pleadingly. "Come on!"

"Does it really have to be me? Just ask someone from your own team," Tsukishima asks, wishing he could just leave.

A guy on Fukurodani who I don't recognize appears. "Bokuto-san's spiking practice has no limit so he kinda scares everyone else," explains he, his expression hard.

"I would help but I need to whip this guy into shape." Kuro nods at Lev, who is sprawled out on the ground pathetically.

Lev cries out something I can't perceive, resulting in loud reprimands from Kuro and an extensive sigh from Tsukishima.

"This guy here's one of the top five spikers in the country." I assume he's referring to Bokuto. "You might wanna jump at the chance to practice with him."

A snicker comes from Tsukishima. "So you couldn't make it into the top three, huh? Don't mind."

"Hey, Kuro! Don't make me look gold just me get knocked down!" Bokuto shouts.

Kuro smirks. Oh no... "You're a middle blocker, no? Shouldn't you be practicing your blocking more?"

That settles it. Something ticks off in Tsukishima and he heads inside. I laugh a little. Hmm, I think I'll stay and watch a bit.

"One more!" Bokuto's arm swings down and the ball sails just past Tsukishima's finger tips.

"Lousy!" I call from the bleachers. "If he moved two centimeters to the left, you would've been completely blocked!"

Bokuto sticks out his tongue at me. "One more!" he shouts.

Spike after spike. "Yes!" cries Bokuto at every success.

The setter, the one who spoke before, shrugs. I found out his name is Akaashi Keiji. "All you did was beat the hell out of one blocker."

"Aw, shut up."

"How about two blockers?"

I groan. "Oh great. Thanks for barging in on my coaching, Kuro."

He gives me an indifferent look. "That's what makes it even more fun for me~"

Bokuto cries out, "Yeah!"

I notice Kuro whispering to Tsukishima, "Four eyes, keep that straight in check."

The two jump. Kuro's beady eyes dart to and fro. He lunges to block the ball, succeeding easily.

"Yeah!" Kuro mocks with a pump of his fist.

"Dang it!" Bokuto frowns.

I feign a yawn. "Typical."

"Aw, you thought I was cool."

"I'd rather kiss Kei than call you cool." I glance at the blonde. "And I hate Kei."

"So cruel. Poor Four Eyes~"

Kei turns to me, saying, "Don't call me by my first name. It's weird."

I look at him. "Then can I call you Tsukki, like Yamaguchi?"

"Whatever."

Bokuto looks thoughtful for a moment, something different for him. "You know, Four Eyes, you're really good at reading attacks...but, well, your blocks suck. You're pretty weak; I don't wanna break your arms off every time I spike."

Tsukki grimaces, trying to regain his cool. "I'm just a growing boy. I'm only starting to gain muscle and get taller."

"You keep talking like a big shot and that shortie will steal all the glory. You're both middle blockers, no?" Kuro inquires.

Tsukki falls silent. Hmm? What's up with him?

"Well, can't be helped. The different in natural talent between me and Hinata is too great." (This is a direct quote from the episode. Not my words.) "I think my work here is done. I'll see you." He waves, starting to leave.

What? What's up with him? Does he actually...have an inferior complex towards Shoyo? That can't be...Tsukki's always so full of it. And with Shoyo being really inexperienced and lacking in most areas, you'd think that Tsukki would...Unless...

"Oi, Tsukki!" I run after him as he exits the gym.

The tall blonde merely looks at me. "What do you want?" he asks, immediately switching from his shockingly humble side to his usual indifferent character.

"What did you mean? When you said that you and Shoyo are too different in natural talent?"

He doesn't respond.

"Come on, I promise I won't tell anyone."

"It's not a big deal. To me, volleyball will always be just a club. Why out so much into it if it'll only be something on the side." Tsukki walks away.

"Wait."

Tsukki sighs. "Now what is it?" he asks, his tone impatient.

"Volleyball can't possibly be just a club. Don't you like volleyball? Even just a bit? You wouldn't have joined if you didn't like it, right?" I can't understand this guy. One moment he's an open book, the next he's completely confusing.

His thin lips form into a frown, his golden eyes streaking with a hint of emotion underneath the shiny lenses of his glasses. "If I said I do, it wouldn't change the fact that I'll never put all my efforts into it," he replies straightforwardly.

"But why? If you enjoy it, I think you should put all you've got into it, right?"

He stares at me, so intensely I feel as if he'll bore a hole in my face. His gaze remains steady, his eyes fixated on me. I would have never expected the words that he said to come out of his mouth.

"You'll only suffer later."

The words Tsukki said to me that night remained in my head for what felt like eternity. His voice finally cracked at that moment and I knew that there was a story behind his words, a story that scarred his view of volleyball and the world. At the second, I wanted to reach out and hug him, to let him know it was okay. Instead, I had just stood there, watching his broad back disappear into the darkness.

"Mei? Mei?" A hand waves in my face. "You okay? You've been spacing out the entire morning."

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks, Suga-san." I force a smile at the worried grey-haired third-year, who returns it with his classic genuine grin.

"Hey, Tsukishima!" I look over to the other table where Noya-san has planted a large tray of food before Tsukki. "You better eat up or else you're not gonna last rigorous training!"

Tsukki smirks. "At least you have a big appetite, Nishinoya-san."

"You damn brat!" I hear Noya-san scream at him. He starts to pull at Tsukki's glasses, who in return pleads for him to stop.

At least he's acting normal today...

The entire day was pretty awful. We lost badly in every game; by the end of the games, everyone was wiped out from playing to running up and down the Shinzen hill.

I bit into the piece of watermelon one of the managers from Fukurodani handed me, leaning against Bokuto.

"You guys suck," he says.

"So mean. Sorry we're not as good as the big Tokyo guys," I reply, punching him in the arm.

Bokuto laughs. "I'm joking, no need to get so defensive. Your team is not a team to scoff at, Tokyo or not," he tells me seriously.

"Aw, thanks, almighty Bokuto, expert of volleyball," I reply, sarcasm in my tone.

"You should call me that more." I roll my eyes.

"Mei-san, can we talk to you?"

I look up to see the third-years surrounding me. "Sure. See ya later, Bokuto." I get up, wiping a seed from my cheek. I walk with them, not speaking till we were a good distance from everyone else. "So what's up?"

"We heard from Kuro-kun that Tsukishima might be ticked off about something. He said you were there. What happened with him?" Captain inquires gently.

I shrug. "I don't really know. He did help out with Bokuto's practice and then Kuro said something about Shoyo... This is just a guess, but he might feel overshadowed by Shoyo as a middle blocker. But I don't see Tsukki-uh, Tsukishima as someone insecure."

Asahi-san nods understandingly. "I kinda noticed that too. He told me something like Hinata's supposed to take the spotlight while he covers for him when Hinata's in the back."

Tanaka approaches us. "Sorry, I just over heard your conversation," he says sheepishly. "But my sister mentioned something about knowing a guy named Tsukishima who was on the volleyball team with the Little Giant. Could he his older brother."

"Seriously?" we all say in surprise. "His older brother?"

Normal POV; Later that day:

"Azumane-san."

"Hmm? Well, this is new, Tsukishima. What's up?" the brown-haired male asks.

"Do you ever feel like there's a ton of raw talent that you have to compete with?"

Asahi closes his eyes. "Well, let's just say I'm not always at ease when Hinata's around," he sighs.

"But isn't Hinata still vying for the ace's place?"

"Well, that's why he's trying to change, I guess. But that just makes me want to try harder," Asahi replies with a calm smile. "He has grown a lot from when he started. Guess you and I see it more since we're kind of rivaling him. But that's what it all the more fun, hmm? I don't plan on losing to someone like him."

"I suppose..."

"Sensei, what do you think of Tsukishima?"

Takeda-sensei glances at Ukai. "He's a good kid. I think he tries."

"Yeah, but I think he's just average, the kind of kid who knows he's okay and is satisfied with just that," Ukai comments. "He's essential, but if he's not giving his all, it's not worth putting him as a regular on the team."

Mei looks over at them, saying, "Look at these guys. They're blood thirsty as hell. Colliding into each other like it's the last game of the season..." She shakes her head.

"Hey, Mei!"

After a quick glance at the team leaving to run up the hill, she turns. "What's up, Bokuto?"

"Could you get your Four Eyes friend to help with spiking practice again? He'd be a great help."

"So you've taken interest in him?" Mei smiles a bit.

"Of course! He's 188 centimeters after all! I need to hear his secrets."

She laughs. "I'll see what I can do."

"No."

"Why not?!" Mei persists. "You're liked by the captain of Fukurodani and you turn him down?!"

"I don't want to. Good bye." Tsukki stalks away.

I groan. "Stupid boy."

"Uh...Mei-san?"

"Hmm? Yamaguchi?"

The freckled-boy shyly looks down at his feet. "Uh...please don't look so annoyed with Tsukki. He doesn't hate you...or volleyball."

"I never said I'm annoyed with him. Nor did I ever think he hated me or volleyball," I blurt out, immediately regretting the fact I sounded annoyed with Yamaguchi instead of Tsukki or something.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. But I just thought you'd know..." Yamaguchi quickly walks away.

I sigh. "What's happening...why are you acting like this, Tsukki?"


	12. Chapter 11

~11~

 _Excuse the weird lines in the past two chapters or so. I finally got my computer running again, so hopefully, I'll be updating more. And I just got 14 followers for this story! Haha, that may seem really little, but I want to thank all of you for supporting me in that small way. :) oh, that must sound kinda cheesy, but it's true. :D_

 _Well, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! It's mainly about Tsukki and Yamaguchi x Yachi (MY ONLY STRAIGHT OTP AYEEE) but I'll see if I can add a little Tsukki x Mei too. :)_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. All dialogue used in my fanfic is originated from each episode, but not directly copied._

Normal POV; The next night:

Yamaguchi leans against the wall of the gymnasium, his mind immersed in deep thought. He looks up at the full moon, shining brightly amongst the glittering stars against the deep blue canvas of the sky.

"And what might you be sighing to yourself about, Yamaguchi-san?"

Yamaguchi starts. "Oh, hello, Hitoka-san. Actually, I didn't really notice that I was sighing in the first place," he says with a half-smile.

"Is something on your mind?" the blonde inquires curiously, though there was a hint of sincere sympathy in her voice. "Uh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I just—"

"It's about Tsukki."

Yachi raises her brow, surprised. "Hmm? Tsukishima-san?" She nods, flicking her short hair out of her large brown eyes. "Oh, I heard Shimizu-senpai and Mei-chan talking about him…is he okay?"

Yamaguchi shrugs, trying to casually lean against the wall in an un-awkward position. "I'm worried about him…," he murmurs. "You see…he acts like he's a very cocky, indifferent person, but really he cares about people…a lot."

"I think I can see that." Yachi smiles a bit. "I don't think you'd be so friendly with him if it weren't for the fact he cares about you. Have you known each other since you were little?"

"Since grade school." Yamaguchi's expression turns reminiscent. "A bunch of these older kids bullied me for being really skinny and having a 'lumpy' face. I couldn't stand up to them, because I was really weak compared to them. But Tsukki…he was passing by and well, he called them 'lame' and scared them away. I don't think his intention at that time was to defend me; he probably thought I was pretty 'lame' too. But he's cool and strong. He puts up a front, a barrier between him and others. He's someone I want to be like."

A grin spreads on Yachi's face. "Seems like you look up to him a lot."

Yamaguchi nods a little. "Yeah. He's pretty amazing."

The boy's gaze returns to the sky, his eyes glazed with thoughtfulness. A large cloud rolls into the sky, covering the moon. "But a lot of people don't see that. They get caught up with the people who shine…the most…Tsukki has an older brother named Akiteru-kun who used to do volleyball at Karasuno, when it was a powerhouse," he tells Yachi.

"Yeah, I heard from the others. Is it because of him he came to Karasuno?"

"Yup. His brother was really good in junior high and taught Tsukki everything he knows to this day. Because of this, Tsukki assumed he was the ace at Karasuno as a first-year and Akiteru-kun let him think that. Tsukki would even tell me about him, and I knew for a fact that he was really proud of him. But well…one day, Tsukki and I decided to go to one of Karasuno's matches even though Akiteru-kun never wanted him to go. And we found out he had been lying, that he was a bench player. The ace at the time happened to be none other than the Little Giant."

Yachi's eyes go wide. "You mean Hinata's hero, the Little Giant?" she exclaims.

Yamaguchi nods, not looking back at her. "Ever since then, Tsukki fell in a rut. Akiteru-kun's experience taught Tsukki that it was pointless to try because there will be someone to overshadow him." He points at the sky, at the moon hidden behind the dark cloud. "That cloud is like Hinata-kun, the spotlight. Tsukki is like the moon. He's there and he's special, but things cover him, things that he can't seem to outshine."

A tear forms in her eyes. "I-I never knew…that Tsukishima-san had such a past…"

"Neither did I."

"Eh?"

The two turn to see a figure standing in the shadows.

"Mei-chan?"

The girl appears in the light. "Sorry to drop in on your conversation, but I couldn't help overhearing. That explains everything…Thanks for sharing, Yamaguchi," she says, briefly hugging him as she walked away.

Mei POV:

Tsukki…why? Why do you hide these things away? Maybe it wasn't the place or the time…but this isn't the answer. There is a point to trying…and I want to help you see that.

I glance around the outdoor hallways, left to right. Where the hell is that stupid guy?

"You seem to be in a rush."

A spark of hope flashes in me. I turn but my shoulders crumple. "Oh. It's just you, Kuro."

Kuro feigns a look of hurt. "Ouch. Who ya lookin' for?" he asks.

I frown. "Why do you care?" I inquire suspiciously. I fold my arms over my chest. "You've been acting really mysterious these days. If you got something to say, spit it out."

"You want me to spit it out?"

Where the hell is this even going? "I think that's what I just said," I reply, getting pissed. I need to find Tsukki.

"Fine. I'll tell you." Then it all happens. So much, yet so quickly. He grabs my arm, pulling me to him. His movement is so swift, I have no time to react. My body crashes into his. "I like you."

We kiss. It was so brief, yet I could feel the intensity in it. I refuse to kiss back. No. This isn't right.

I push him away but then I stop. What am I feeling? Happy? I liked the kiss but do I like his confession? Angry? Kind of. Pissed? Quite. This isn't the time…but is it?

"What the hell was that for?" I say. Not angrily. Not annoyed. Not happily. I just said it.

"You told me to spit it out. So I did." He looks unaffected from his confession, as if he told me that he needed to borrow money.

"Well, I wasn't really expecting that, sorry," I say, spite in my tone. "I thought we had a good best friends thing going on here. What was that?!" Now I know, officially, that I'm angry.

He rolls his eyes, as if _he's_ pissed at _me_! "Come on, you think a guy can spend that much time with a girl and _not_ like her? How dense are you?" he cries.

"Wait, so this has been long-term? You—" I stop. What am I even getting angry about? Shouldn't I be happy? I mean, I did like Tooru, but that's pretty much over since that time we met back home. But Kuro? My best friend, Kuro? It just can't be…

Kuro laughs-I can't believe it! He actually had the nerve to laugh at me. "Oh, are you actually considering me?" he says seductively. He reaches out and plays with him hair, but I don't dare flinch. "Yes, it has been long-term, since you started going out with that ass, Oikawa. But will you accept my confession?"

I slap his hand away. "I don't have time for you. I need to go."

"Ignoring me? And where, my dear, are you going?" HE IS FREAKING MOCKING AT ME. AFTER CONFESSING TO ME? THIS IDIOT-ugh, no, I need to find Tsukki. First priority right now. The fate of the team rests on this.

"To find Tsukki," I blurt out. Oh crap. I run away, faster than I've ever before. Tsukki…Tsukki…Tsukki…Tsu—"AH!'

" _Oi_!"

I groan, rubbing my head. My legs splay out on the cold concrete as I try to compose myself again. "Sorry…," I murmur. My vision clears and I focus on the tall person before me. "Oh, Tsukki!"

"What are you doing, running in the middle of the night like this?" Tsukki asks, not a single bit of worry in his voice.

"I was looking for you."

His brow shoots up. "And why?" he inquires warily.

I stand, holding a metal pole to steady myself. "I heard from Yamaguchi about you and your brother."

He clicks his tongue. "Yamaguchi…," he mutters, annoyed.

"Wait, but that's not the point!" I exclaim. I exhale tiredly. "Look, Yamaguchi really looks up to you, no doubt. You're an amazing guy and you act like you know it, but you don't really, do you?"

Tsukki scowls. "This has nothing to do with you. Stop it."

"NO!" I scream. "You don't understand! Don't become like your brother, who let himself become overshadowed by the Little Gi—I mean, Shoyo! You have all the characteristics of a volleyball player, your height, skill, and smarts. But you can't just let it waste away. It may be just a club, but it's important to you, isn't it? Don't you like volleyball? Didn't you learn it all from your brother?! Why do you think getting better at volleyball is so impossible for you?!"

I pant, exhausted from running and yelling.

"I think it's you who doesn't understand. If I became the best at Karasuno, where would that put me? If we were the best team in Japan, where would that put us? 'No matter how high you climb, there will always be someone better. Even if you were able to show some results somewhere, you'll never actually be number one!'" (Quote from episode)

I sigh, looking at him with watery eyes. "Never, Tsukki? That's a strong word, isn't it? Ever thought there was a chance we could be the strongest?" I ask quietly.

"Why are you so persistent?!" he yells. "This isn't about you; it's about me! I'll make my own decisions!"

That did it. "I may just be an outsider to you, but I actually care." I look at him in the eyes. "I ACTUALLY CARE, YOU STUPID PIECE OF CRAP!" ( _I do not cuss, excuse me, who do you think I am?_ )

His golden eyes hold a steady gaze at me, unreadable. What is he thinking right now? Does he think I like him or something? DO I LIKE HIM? I think of that time when he fell on me, how close he was that I could feel his breath, that I could see a gentleness in his eyes.

He chuckles a bit. "Dang it. To think that you'd be right…" He smiles, FREAKING ASS SMILES. I noticed when people who don't normally smile, when they do, it has to be genuine. That's what I realized at the very moment when I saw his. "Well, then I'm going to go somewhere."

"Hah?"

"Don't worry. I'll be back." And when he walks away, I can't seem to follow, even when I want to.

Normal POV; Gymnasium 3:

"Then she tells me that she's going to find 'Tsukki'." Kuro makes air quotes with his fingers at the word "Tsukki". "Like what the hell does that mean? Does she like that Four Eyes or something?'

Bokuto lets out a laugh as he spikes the ball Kuro tosses. "Well, obviously she was taken back by your sudden confession," he replies, landing perfectly on the ground. "So she ran to Four Eyes' arms."

" _Maji_?!"

"I'm kidding, man. You seriously don't know girls, do you?" Bokuto laughs even harder at this.

"Well, I don't recall you having a girlfriend ever," Kuro retorts back, giving Bokuto a stab. "Ugh, I don't understand her sometimes…"

" _Ano_ …is this a bad time?"

The two captains turn to see Tsukishima standing in the doorway.

Bokuto holds back another burst of laughter, saying, "What's this? What's this?"

Kuro holds back his surprise as well. "What's this? What's this?"

Tsukishima bites his bottom lip. "May I ask you something?"

The two exchange a look. "Sure," they say in unison.

"Uh, thank you…So, both of your schools are considered powerhouses, right?" Kuro and Bokuto glance at each other, unsure where this was going, before nodding in confirmation. "But even so, it's pretty hard to get to nationals with all the other schools in the way, right?"

Bokuto glowers at him. "It wouldn't be impossible or anything, sheesh!"

Ignoring him, he continues. "What I'm unsure about is why everyone is so determined to win even though the chances are so little. Volleyball's just a club, in my opinion. I mean, what are you going to do, write it on your resume?"

Kuro furrows his brow. "I see you've been talking to Mei a lot."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Anyways, do you think volleyball is fun?"

Tsukishima pauses, shrugging. "Not really."

Bokuto snickers. "Maybe it's because you suck at it."

At this, Tsukishima flinches, as if an arrow was being shot at him.

"It's because my attacks have started to work that I think volleyball is fun. Don't you think if your blocks started to be useful in games, it'd be a lot more fun to play?" An intense aura comes from Bokuto. "It's not about the future or what'll happen next. It's about beating your opponent and feeling hella proud 'bout it. You'll have your moment and then volleyball's suddenly all you can think about."

Tsukishima stands there, in awe. "I think I understand…"

A wide grin forms on Bokuto's face. "Great! I answered your question and now you have to help block, 'kay?" he announces, patting his back.

"Huh?"

The next day; Mei POV:

"Yay! I feel refreshed after sleeping in!" I say.

"Yeah, but now you're late to our game! We're already 11-9, stupid!" Ukai cries, annoyed. "Against Fukurodani, too!"

I shrug. "Whatever. I wouldn't be able to coach if I was running low on energy anyways," I reply with a cheeky grin.

"Sensei, time out please." Ukai completely ignores me. The group huddles around him. "#4's aggressive as always. If you can't block his spikes, try to at least touch it."

I smile. "Good job, _minna_ -san!"

Tobio glares at me. "You weren't even here; don't lie," he spits. I stick my tongue out at him.

"So we don't have to stop it?" (Direct quote from episode 8)

Everyone stares at Tsukishima, shocked. I smile to myself a bit.

Ukai notices and smiles too. "Well, it'd be great if you could completely block it," he says.

I widen my eyes. "B-Bokuto…you weakling," I say in between bursts of laughter. "For once, the ace of-of Fukurodani…he takes the easy way out!"

" _Oi_ , I can hear you!" he calls back.

I can't stop myself from smiling. I'm just happy. Tsukki actually would've blocked his spike if Bokuto didn't pull a feint at the last minute.

Our late hatching crow is finally starting to make his way out of his shell, as Nekomata-san would say.

 _Omg, I loved that episode. Tsukki is so bae and so is Yamaguchi and Bokuto and Kuro AHHHH. Well, hope you liked it! Please share with your friends!_


	13. Chapter 12

~12~

 _Okay, okay. I can't believe this fan fiction has 20 followers and 11 favorites in less than 5 months. I know that doesn't seem like much, but it means a lot to me! Like, 5 months ago, I was just screwing around, reading fan fictions and wishing I had the writing ability of those authors. And now, at least 11 people liked mine! You guys actually took the time to read my work and that made me so happy this morning when I found this out._

 _So, thank you for following/favoriting (not a word but) this fan fiction! It means a lot (and I mean A LOT) to me and I really hope I can update more to make this a story worth reading._

 _And with that, I hopefully will get this next chapter up and ready to go. I don't even know what episode we're on right now; I'm very behind in all the animes (is that even the plural way of saying anime) I've been watching, so here goes nothing._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own Mei._

Mei POV:

I cringe as Shoyo splatters onto the gym floor with a loud thud…again. Oh, that one's gotta hurt.

His and Tobio's new quick hasn't been very successful, as of our past few matches these days. They're just not in sync at the moment. But they better be soon, or else this isn't going to go down well.

The one person who has definitely changed is Tsukki. His blocks are actually working, much to the amusing infuriation of Bokuto. He's playing…much better than previously. I guess those practices with Kuro and Bokuto are working for him.

A large hand blurs my vision for a brief moment. "You okay? You're spacing out again." Ukai gives me a very pointed look, his brows raised suspiciously.

"I'm fine," I say for what feels like the hundredth time in my life.

Kiyoko silently passes me an unopened bottle of water, which I reluctantly accept.

"Let's focus on the game, hmm?" I suggest, turning back to the court. We're playing against Nekoma, 18-15, in their favor.

Noya-san receives the ball smoothly and passes it smoothly to Tobio. _Come on, Tobio. Show us all that you are the best setter here._

The ball lightly touches Tobio's fingers and it flies over to Shoyo, who is prepared for another go at the new quick. _Wait…that isn't-_

I raise my brow. For once, Shoyo used his brain and did a feint! Maybe I assumed too quickly that he wasn't improvi-

"What the hell was that?" he bursts out, angrily stomping over to Tobio in spite of the circumstances. "Did you-did you just…HOLD BACK?!

Tobio, on the other hand, appears completely taken aback. "Hah?" A mysterious aura envelopes him, a rather familiar one if I can recall. His long fingers grasp onto the front of Shoyo's jersey. His eyes flash threateningly, the blue in his orbs dark with passion. "Me? Of all people? To hold back? In volleyball? You must be insane. Come, come. Say that again to my face."

Takeda-sensei calls a time out but the two don't stop their heated conversation.

"That toss you just gave me?" Shoyo says, his tone even with Tobio's. "It wasn't the falling toss. Even someone like me can tell something like that."

I widen my eyes. I didn't think Shoyo would be able to notice that. It took me a moment, but I saw it too. What baffles me is… "Why's Shoyo so mad about it? I think Tobio's pure intention was to get him to spike decently, as he hasn't for quite some time," I confront Ukai who looks a little bewildered as well.

He slowly nods in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. Tobio was trying to get Shoyo back into his usual momentum and play better in general."

"Huh. I wonder what got Tobio to change like that…" I glance over at the court, where Tanaka-san is trying to break them up. But judging by the expression Tobio now wears, he's not mad at Shoyo anymore; he's mad at himself for "holding back", as Shoyo said.

As the game resumes, I wonder: what's going to happen now?

Later:

"Tobio-chan? Wanna practice with me?" I tease innocently, trying to lighten his current, serious mood.

"No thanks," replies he in a blunt tone.

I roll my eyes, unaffected. "Fine. Practice with Shoyo then."

He shakes his head as he makes his way to the gymnasium, empty water bottles in his arms. "I'm not practicing with him either," he tells me.

"HAH? But how are you going to practice your new quick, baka?"

"By myself, of course." Tobio gestures at his arms. "Hence the bottles."

I frown but hold a few for him so he isn't completely loaded. "Did you run this over with Shoyo?" I ask carefully.

"Yeah. Why don't you go bother him instead of me? I need to practice." We reach the gymnasium, where Yachi is collecting volleyballs splayed out all over the floor.

I chuckle a little and place the bottles in a small pile by the net. "Alright, alright. Love you too, little brother," I joke and walk out to the next gymnasium in search of a particular orange-haired volleyball fanatic.

I enter to see not only Shoyo practicing, but Kenma as well. "Aw," I coo teasingly. "You guys make a nice duo."

Kenma sighs. "What do you want from us?"

Feigning hurt, I pout. "So mean. I thought we were friends."

" _Were_ ," he repeats but I can see the tiniest of amusement in his expression. A beep sounds from his pile of belongings. "I need to go, Shoyo. Nekomata-sensei asked me to help him with something."

"But then who am I supposed to practice with?" he complains tiredly, a pitiful frown on his face.

An idea pops into my mind. "Why don't you come play with the big boys instead of old Kenma here?"

Kenma gives me a look which I choose to ignore.

But the spark in Shoyo's eyes light up; I can practically see the competitive fire I used to have. Oh, god, I sound old now. "Really? With Fukurodani's captain and Kuro-senpai? Oh, but I guess Tsukishima will be there too."

I laugh at his indecisiveness. "Come on. I'm sure you'll have fun with those stupid people," I tell him and we walk over to the next gymnasium where, sure enough, they all practice.

"Hey, I picked up a little crow on my way here!" I called, my voice echoing throughout the massive place as I make my way to a bench to observe.

Tsukki jumps to block Bokuto's spike and the ball ricochets off the tips of his fingers. He flinches, but his feet land steadily onto the ground.

"Dammit," mutters Bokuto while Tsukki smirks smugly. "Hey, shortie! Wanna play a game with us?"

Shoyo looks completely delighted to join the captain of Fukurodani and Nekoma, though it's a little disgusting that he's that giddy. "Yeah!" he squeals, running over.

Lev pops in at the entrance. "Can I play too?"

Kuro scowls, asking, "What are you doing? You're supposed to be practicing receives with Yaku. Get back over there, you slacker."

"He said I'm good now!"

"Doubtful," spits Kuro.

"Come on, Kuro. If he plays, then we can have an even three-on-three," says Bokuto good-naturedly.

This brings a bright grin to Lev's face and a roll of his eyes for Kuro.

Akaashi, Fukurodani's main setter, looks over at me. "Will you decide teams for us?" he requests and I grin maliciously, causing Kuro and Bokuto pull repulsed expressions.

"Aw, sure I will."

"Just because she's pretty doesn't mean she's reliable," Kuro tells him.

I flush a little, but no one seems to notice, thankfully. "That's mean, Kuro," I reprimand. "How about…Shoyo, Bokuto, and Akaashi-kun versus Kuro, Lev, and Tsukki."

Akaashi-kun grimaces. "What's with the height difference?"

"Are you afraid your skills as a short person won't outdo a taller person's?" I challenge with a small smile but he just clicks his tongue indignantly.

"AW YEAH! I'm super pumped now!" Bokuto cries, jumping up and down beside Shoyo.

"Yeah, okay. Let's see if you can channel that energy into playing." I pause for a moment. "Winning team gets a training session from yours truly."

Tsukki gags but everyone else seems pretty interested in that, particularly Kuro, if I may add. But I ignore it.

"Read block, read block!" I shout as Shoyo's begins to go for a spike. "Don't jump too far to the side!"

Tsukki calmly blocks the spike alongside Lev. In spite of his indifferent actions, I can tell he's happy on the inside, even if it's just a little. You're showing your true colors, Tsukki.

"God, Bokuto! Your mediocre skills are starting to show," I exclaim with a little tease in my voice.

"Go to hell, Mei!" replies he, just before he serves.

I just chuckle. "Not without dragging you along."

"Very funny," Bokuto says as he jumps to block.

"Quit talking! I'm trying to focus!" cries Kuro.

"Nah."

 _That was a weird ending, but it was getting kind of long for my taste so I stopped it. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter; I worked pretty hard on it! I took notes the other day while I was watching this episode (9, I believe). Damn, I'm so far behind. :(_


	14. Chapter 13

~13~

 _I really want to update as often as possible, as it has been being read more and more. So it's my new year's resolution to update constantly and catch up to wherever the anime is at, at this point. And without a further ado, let's get this started!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu, nor any of its characters. I simply own my OC. And the plot line isn't fully mine either, because it follows Haikyuu season 2's episodes._

Mei POV:

Our time spent here at camp is starting to come to an end. But let's be honest, these past days of intense training and effortful battles, we've become better and stronger as a team and individually. I can proudly say that I'm the co-coach of Karasuno and that we are no longer just the fallen crows. We're actually spreading our wings for flight.

An infuriated grunt interrupts my train of thoughts. I look over my shoulder to see my brother still practicing into the late of the night, a slick sheet of sweat covering his pale skin.

"You doing okay, Tobio?" I call from the bleachers.

At first, he doesn't respond; he simply returns to setting. When the ball falls too short of the bottle he was aiming for, he groans, completely wound up. "I'm…okay," he mutters between heavy breaths.

"Don't look too good, if you ask me," I remark, getting up to retrieve the volleyball he hasn't bothered to pick up. "What's bugging your little mind, hmm?"

Tobio grabs a half-full water bottle from his bag and chugs till it's drained of any liquid. "I can't seem to do the set that Ukai told me about. The falling one."

I nod, remembering Ukai telling me of something along the lines of that set. I hand him the volleyball I hold. I think I actually taught one of our bench setters to do it, quite a while ago. "Toss for me," I instruct and for once, he actually listens.

He tosses it to me and my reflexes naturally move my legs into position for me to perfectly set. I visualize Mari, our lean, artificially blonde wing spiker, sprinting swiftly towards the net. The tips of my fingers tap the ball and it goes sailing, landing right on the furthest empty bottle.

Tobio's eyes go wide, evidently in awe. Guess he hasn't seen many setters that are better than him as of the late, besides maybe Kenma and Akaashi. "How'd you to that?"

I giggle, a smile spread across my face as I turn to face him. "Visualize. That's key when it comes to practicing setting by yourself." I grab him by the shoulders and lead him to the setter's position. "Imagine Shoyo over there, getting ready for his approach to spike. Then imagine you're setting to him in a game."

I toss him the ball and Tobio sets it. His expression radiates deep concentration as his body moves. The ball sails through the air in an elegant arch and suddenly drops to the ground, knocking over a bottle with a loud clack.

"Nice!" I grin, giving him a teasing peace sign which he rolls at his eyes. But he clearly is pleased with himself.

My stomach rumbles and Tobio chuckles slightly before catching himself. "I think I'll grab something from the vending machine," I say, grabbing my bag from a bench. "I'll be back."

I head out into the dimly lit hallways of the school, trying to remember where those vending machines are. Right before I fully turn right, I hear voices that make me come to a halting stop.

"…Karasuno…that shortie…but their third-years…"

I frown and lean against the wall to listen in. It sounds a lot like Ubugawa's captain and possibly a few other people. What are they saying about us…?

"I'm saying that they're a huge threat," someone says, urgency in his tone. "They have Kageyama Tobio from Kitagawa Daichi, the King of the Court! They all say he's the next Oikawa Tooru!"

"Yeah, right," another retorts, his sarcasm aggravating me quite a bit, but I hold back from coming out of my hiding spot. "Kageyama Tobio is just a dictator who no one follows."

There's a short pause. "But didn't you see their game with Nekoma the other day? He and that orange-haired shortie of theirs are trying out something new. And if it works…," a new voice adds worriedly.

"Shut your mouth, Kengo," spits the previous voice spitefully. "They're still new at this. They all have their individual things, but as a whole, they're not even close to anyone else here."

"What are you doing?"

Chills running down my spine, I flinch at the voice that whispers in my ear. I whip around to see Kuro standing there, a cheeky smirk on his face. I simply put my finger to my lips to silence him. He rolls his eyes but remains by my side as we continue to listen.

"I think you're the one who should shut your mouth," the first person exclaims. "Don't think you're all high and mighty. They may have lost all their first few games, but they're getting better, no doubt."

Their footsteps sound against the concrete floor. "Whatever. I still think they're just average." Then, much to my horror, I realize they're heading in our direction. I panic, wondering what I should do so it didn't look like I was eavesdropping.

"Please play along," I murmur to Kuro as I grip at his shirt and pull him towards me, his soft lips finding mine. We passionately kiss for what feels like forever until the echoing noise of their footsteps stop and I know they're behind us.

I pull away and give them a pointed look. "Uh, excuse you?"

They all appear really uncomfortable at the sight of us, even the normally straight-faced captain of theirs.

Of course, he is the first to recover and try to clear the air. "Aren't you Karasuno's coach?" he asks.

"Yeah! You're Karasuno's coach, right?" chimes in a shorter blonde.

Where is this even going? "Uh, yes, I am," I reply, keeping my fingers entwined with Kuro's for my personal reassurance. And he clearly doesn't mind.

The last stares at me. "Oh my god, you're Kageyama Mei, aren't you?!" he cries, jumping a little. "You were the captain of-"

"Japan's girls volleyball team," I cut him off quickly. "Yeah, that's me."

The other two look completely thrown off. "Seriously? I'm really sorry; I didn't mean to be rude about your brother," one apologizes.

Suddenly, I feel really embarrassed. They are pretty nice guys in general. "No, no. It's okay. We are still a new team, but I really appreciate you guys acknowledging our improvement." I start to walk away, dragging Kuro along with me. I stop for a moment to turn and say, "Let's keep what you guys just saw a secret, hmm?" I wink and leave.

When we're well away from them, Kuro pulls at my arm to stop. His mouth quirks into a small grin. "So, I guess that means you like me too?" he says hopefully.

I sigh. "I suppose we can try." I return his smile. "And you're a good kisser anyways."

"Much appreciated."

The next night:

"You guys are so boring," I groan, lying down on the bench tiredly. "Back and forth, back and forth. Someone needs to get a lead or something."

I can hear Tsukki tutting, evidently annoyed. "Why don't you play then?"

"I'm not the one who has a tournament coming up," I answer. I turn on my side to watch the game.

Bokuto leaps into the air gracefully and slams the ball to the ground, to which Kuro snappishly cusses under his breath. "Yahoo!" Bokuto cries in delight, high-fiving Shoyo.

Kuro looks over to Tsukki and Lev. Lucky them; they get an earful of Kuro's no-nonsense talks. "Don't try to block by centering yourself to their body. Center yourself with their dominant arm instead," he instructs. (direct quote from episode) He then carries on with a speech that lasts for an eternity.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Tsukki interjects. "I mean, I'm your opponent technically."

I widen my eyes, remembering when I told…Toru to teach Tobio despite them eventually becoming opponents. Three years ago…and look what's changed. Or should I say, who…

"I'm just nice."

I nearly choke on my water at this, scoffing, "And Tsukki's the kindest person on the planet."

The said blonde glares daggers in my direction but I shake it off indifferently.

"Okay, fine. I just want to bring back the Battle at the Garbage Dump for Coach, y'know? He's done a lot for us and it's my last year," confesses Kuro.

I smile to myself. "Alright, alright. Carry on with your game."

Later:

"Typical Bokuto. Taking the easy way out. I'm surprised it worked."

Bokuto sticks his tongue out at me but Shoyo beats me to saying something to him.

"What was that? Why'd you hit the blocker's hand?" he asks excitedly.

Being himself, Bokuto suddenly fills up with pride in himself. "Well, if you know that your spike isn't going to work, you can hit the blocker's hand and try again."

"Though it usually doesn't work. It's just a fluke because God's being nice to Bokuto today," comments Kuro, to whom Bokuto glares at.

"Come on, give me a game I can get excited about!" I tell them as they hurry back onto the court after a short water break.

Akaashi sets the ball to Shoyo but what with the three extremely tall blockers, even he won't be able to make it. Well, well, well, what will you do now, little crow, after you've received a new bit of information?

Still, Shoyo slams down the ball but I'm surprised. The ball hits the tip of Lev's finger and in his surprise as well, it falls to the ground on the opponent's side.

A grin forms on both Shoyo's and my face. Well, this is new…and could just be something special for him…

The last day of training (Mei POV):

I give a hard stare at Ukai who looks completely unfazed. "Are you kidding me?"

"Not at all."

"You're joking."

"Nope."

"I'm ending this damn training camp with a win if it's the last thing I do. And you bloody let us play Fukurodani?!" I yell at him angrily.

Ukai calmly nods. "All the more better if we win. Now hurry up and get inside. The game's starting," he instructs, as if he were my father.

I follow him inside and the pre-game mode unfolds before my eyes. Of course, the respectful second and third years are about, warming each other. While Tobio and Shoyo on the other hand…

"I want to do the falling toss! That's all I ask for!" cries Shoyo, his pale hands in fists by his sides.

"And I'm telling you that we shouldn't rush it," Tobio answers coolly. He folds his arms across his chest defiantly. "If you keep missing it, there's no point."

"We haven't even tried it yet! I've been practicing too, you know!?"

Tobio sighs, annoyed. "I know that! But I don't want to rush it! It's not just for me, okay?"

A crease forms between Shoyo's thin brows. "You're acting really weird. Why are you worried about me, today of all days?" he asks, suspicious. "You know, I believe in you, right? I think we can do this. I trust you, even though you doubted me before. So, fine. If we don't do it, fine." And with that, he walks over to Noya-senpai to warm up, leaving Tobio utterly stunned.

I want to talk to him personally but I don't get the chance. Ukai already has the team in a huddle and is talking to them in a low voice. Well, I guess we'll have to find out what happens next.

 _I kind of wrote this on a limb but I hope you really liked it. 25 follows omg that's crazy! Thank you all and please share, comment, all that good stuff! Love you xx_


	15. Chapter 14

~14~

 _Here's Chapter 14! I know I'm really behind in the series and I'm trying my best to catch up, but it's not really easy when you have Spirit Week coming up and loads of homework to do. So, please be patient with me!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu nor any of its characters. And the plot line is based off of Season 2 Episode 10._

Mei POV:

Today, though it's the last day of the training camp, I'm lifeless. Utterly lifeless. I looked in the mirror this morning and I was a wreck. My eyes were bloodshot red with heavy bags underneath them, my dark hair a tangled mess. I've been staying up late these to plan game tactics alongside Ukai. Other nights when he encourages me to sleep, I sneak into the gym and practice by myself.

I miss playing volleyball. Seeing everyone here, whether at Karasuno or another school, seeing them transition into skilled players…it makes my heart ache to improve as well. And…and I'm afraid I'll forget how to play if I don't touch a ball constantly. Which is a scary thought because volleyball has always been my life for as long as I can remember; I spent every waking moment to develop my expertise. And to have the fuel of my life taken away? That would leave me with absolutely nothing.

But I can't officially play for as long as I'm school. They say I'm simply a person of the past, a trouble child who had too much talent and cockiness for her own good. They probably would've been alright with me returning to the volleyball world if…

(About) six weeks ago (Mei POV):

 _"_ _Go on in. Just apologize for your actions and you can return to the team," reassures my coach, placing his hand on my shoulder gently._

 _I clench my fist, the rage still burning within my heart. "What happens if I don't?" I ask in a low voice. I stand before the gymnasium doors, the squeak of shoes against the floors loud. I can hear their words of encouragement, their shouts of approval. What happened to that during our game?_

 _My coach gives me a surprised glance. "Then you'll have to quit the team. And you may not be allowed to play volleyball again if you can't mend your ways."_

 _I shrug, even though I know in my heart, I can't and won't apologize. I can't be on a team that gives up. I want to be on a fighting team. One that recognizes the strength of their opponent but still presses on till they collapse. And this team isn't one._

 _I walk inside and after a few seconds, the practice is paused and a heavy silence fills the air. I can feel their eyes on me, disgusted, annoyed, pitied, an inconsistent variation of emotions. I spot Mari in the corner, the bandages that cover the scratches, the blackening bruises that contrast greatly with her fair skin. But I don't feel regretful or sorry for her. I simply feel angry. Angry that she gave up, angry that everyone gave up, angry that I was the only one still fighting._

 _"_ _I'm sure you all hate me because of my actions the other day at the game," I start, surprisingly calm. "And I'm sure you all think I'm here to apologize."_

 _Coach grabs me by the elbow, fiercely whispering into my ear, "What are you doing?!"_

 _"_ _Telling the truth," I reply. "But I'm not going to apologize. Because I'm not sorry." My hand points at the banner that proudly hangs on the wall. "What does that say?"_

 _No one responds._

 _"_ _ANSWER ME!" I bellow. "What does that say?!"_

 _Hana mutters, "'Fight and conquer as one.'"_

 _I give a hard nod. "That's right. And I did NOT see that on the court the other day. You lot gave up. You did not fight. So you did not conquer. THAT'S WHAT HURT JAPAN'S DAMN PRIDE!" Tears edge my vision but I continue going. "Therefore, I resign as captain. I know you'll probably never see me playing on a single volleyball court ever again. But I have enough dignity to say that I cannot insincerely apologize for something that I think was right.'_

 _"_ _Hold on, Mei-"_

 _"_ _Save it," I spit. I turn to my coach, who looks completely shocked. "Thank you very much for teaching me all I know today. I promise, even if I don't officially play anymore, I will continue to work hard in volleyball. Good bye."_

 _And I walk out, my head held high, but my emotions at its lowest._

Current Time (Mei POV):

"How many times do I have to tell you to wake up? You're still a coach!" cries Ukai, shoving me hard.

I shove him back, annoyed. "God, I know, okay?" I answer. I direct my attention to the game before me, our last game of the training camp. And it had to be with Fukurodani, per Ukai's request.

I watch as Fukurodani pulls a flawless quick, despite the unsteady receive. My eyes follow their setter, Akaashi. He's quite skilled, actually, being very controlled and in-sync with his hitters, two qualities a setter needs.

Not to mention Bokuto, who's playing really well this morning. He slams down a beautiful cut shot, perfectly escaping our blockers' hands. God, he's honestly better at spiking than I am at this point.

" _Ne, ne,_ Akaashi? Did you see me? Did you see my really cool cut shot?" Bokuto asks eagerly, jumping up and down.

Then again, he's an idiot blessed with talent from God.

But if our wing spikers could do that…man, I would love to see Tooru's expression.

"Kinda makes you want to cheer for him, huh?" Takeda-sensei comments with a small smile.

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

I frown, confused, but there's something else that's been on my mind. I gaze over at where Shoyo stands, about to swap in. He notices and knowingly winks, to which I simply smile at. Time to show these guys what you're made of, Shoyo.

Noya-senpai receives the ball, passing it to Tobio. He sets it perfectly to Shoyo. Come on…

Shoyo pulls a feint, Fukurodani's receivers throwing themselves to the ground in attempt to prevent the ball from the reaching the ground, but fail.

I grin at him and he, glowing with pride, does a thumbs up in my direction.

"Dammit, you little shortie! I'll make sure you don't score again!" Bokuto cries, practically radiating energy. "We ain't gonna lose to you guys!"

But of course, Tobio hates being outshined. He swiftly dumps the ball, leaving everyone in surprise.

I keep my eye on him though. That concentrated look of his…what is he thinking right now, as he is playing so well? Is he thinking about Shoyo?

The thing about Tobio is that he has a tendency to overthink, which can be a disadvantage for him during games. Simple-minded people like Shoyo and Bokuto are more at ease because they're not very analytical. But Tobio always thinks ahead whenever he plays; it's like a natural thing for him to do. It's not necessarily a bad thing; it simply can change into one in a split second.

The game carries on, everyone playing to the best of their abilities. We're keeping up with Fukurodani, not falling very far back in terms of the score. I'm actually quite nervous because I have no idea where this match is going to go, as we're 8-9 in their favor right now. Unless…

Tobio runs to the sailing volleyball, his blue eyes fixated on it. _What will you do now, Tobio? Will you run away again and play it safe? Or will you prove yourself to have changed and listen? Show me that you've changed. Show me you're not the same self-centered, egotistic maniac you were before. Don't make the mistakes I have._

The pads of his fingers lightly touch the ball and as it flies in a faultless arch towards the mid-air Shoyo, I instantly know. And a wide grin spreads across my face.

Shoyo slams down the ball just as it reaches its dropping point and it hits the floor of the opposing team.

I leap to my feet and cheer, so much joy filling my heart, I don't even mind the irritated glare the referee shoots at me.

Realization hitting them in the face, everyone joins me in yelling, including Shoyo and Tobio. I'm squealing with happiness and it takes all my effort to not run onto the court and hug them.

Because it's happening. They're working together again. And Karasuno's gears are starting to turn.

Though their new quick isn't successful at every attempt, we're still keeping up, what with Noya-senpai's new setting skills, Asahi-senpai's back row attacks and excellent jump serves, Tsukki's stronger blocking, and the first tempo synchronized attack. It's amazing how much they've improved in just a week; I can't even describe how proud I am of them, how well they've honed their weaknesses and made changes that contributed to the team well.

"I'm gonna blow you all away with my serve, alright?" Bokuto yells as he makes his way to the serving line.

I can't help but roll my eyes. He's losing his temper because even though we're tied, Karasuno has the upper hand in the game right now. God, he's so childish sometimes.

Bokuto serves but it slams straight into the net, nearly hitting their middle blocker in the head. He falls to the ground, completely annoyed with himself. This isn't going to turn out well…

"Akaashi, set to me!" he says, in effort to redeem himself. He runs up and spikes it but it taps against our blockers' hands.

They attempt the attack one more time, but something clicks in Bokuto's mind and the spike hits the net, falling to the ground with a thud.

His shoulders droop even more. "Akaashi. Just don't toss to me anymore!"

I groan. Even if he's the opposing team, it's still bothersome when he goes into his "emo" mode, as his team calls it.

"Okay. Calm down and I'll set to you again," answers Akaashi indifferently, much to the surprise of Bokuto.

Well, I guess this is to our advantage, as Fukurodani's ace is having his own pity party at the moment.

"Let's go, Karasuno!"

 _And there we go. I really loved this episode honestly; I was having spasms watching it because I was so happy that their new quick worked. Yeah, I did read the manga, but it makes me so happy still!_

 _Hope you liked this chapter and please follow/favorite it! I'll do something special if I can get to 50 follows/favorites._

 _Thanks for reading! xx_


	16. Chapter 15

15

 _Hey, guys. Sorry; I haven't updated in ages. I've been feeling kind of down and I keep promising myself to write this chapter, but I never got around to it. So, we're still stuck in episode 11 and the anime's in fucking episode 17. Really sorry about that. Truly._

 _I've been writing fan fictions for Quotev recently, so that's been taking up a lot of my time. And I just wasn't feeling very Haikyuu._

 _Maybe it's school and the people in it. Because that sucks._

 _But I won't go into detail about that because you probably don't really care. I'll just get on with writing this already._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters._

 _Oh and this chapter may include some swear words because I'm pissed and Mei's pissed so…if you're easily offended, don't read._

Mei POV:

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Well, they are top four in their district. Their play isn't solely based on just Bokuto-san."

Getting pissed, I glare at Ukai angrily, pent up frustration bursting. "You're not helping."

"Hmm? Did you assume that we'd win easily because their setting wasn't tossing to their ace anymore?" he replies with a pointed look.

"Did you assume I'd remain calm this entire game?" I shoot back tartly.

Though his eyes focus on the game, his lips pull down into a frown. "What's with you? You're remarkably sensitive today," he asks.

"What the hell do you think is with me? I want to win. Duh. I've worked hard to help train these guys. I've put my heart and soul into volleyball my entire life. But no one seems to fucking appreciate me." I rest my elbows on my knees, placing my chin in my hands so I can watch the game intensely. And not have to look at Ukai, of course.

"What are you talking about so suddenly? They all appreciate you!"

I'm sure they could carry on fine without me. Just like the national team. The other day, they were on the news, as they had just won regionals and were moving on in their tournament. No one needs me anyways.

"Predictable," I mumble as Akaashi goes for a dump that stuns our team. _22-23_.

"Would you quit acting so cocky and self-centered and actually start thinking tactics?" whispers Ukai fiercely into my ear.

But I can't help it. I just want to be on the court and prove myself again. I would do anything to play. Just another toss to a wing spiker. Just another dump to screw with the libero of the opponent. Just another serve that lands perfectly in the corner

I want to work for myself. I don't want to coach people anymore. I don't want to be the captain of anyone. I just want to play by myself.

But any decent volleyball player knows that it's a team effort.

Maybe I'm just playing for the wrong team.

And that's when Bokuto leaps into the air, full of life, slamming the ball straight to the ground.

My thoughts are a complete mess as Ukai goes on and on about the team's growing skill. Why am I mad? Why am I sad? Why do I feel so at loss? It's not just because we lost the match against Fukurodani. It feels like an even greater loss that I can't even place. My emotion bottle seems to be overflowing and washing my entire brain till I'm driven insane. I want to play volleyball…I don't want to coach…I don't belong anywhere… I feel slightly light-headed and the ground beneath me seems to be a whitewash of waves that I inhumanely float on.

A smack on my back returns me back to reality, but also causes dark spots to blossom within my vision.

"Mei."

"T-Tobio…"

He stares into my eyes, his blue ones focused on mine. "What's wrong?"

I blink rapidly, random tears flooding my eyesight. "Nothing," I murmur, turning away. Last thing I want is for Tobio to see me crying for no apparent reason.

"It's obviously something," he says. "Even I'm not that stupid."

"I don't want to talk about it." I turn on my heel away from him and run out of the gymnasium. It's just hormones. It's just hormones. It's just hormones. Yet it didn't feel like that at all.

Someone follows after me but I ignore them and burst into a full sprint. Hopefully I can just outrun him or he'll just get tired and go away.

I dash around the entire campus, my pursuer's footsteps echoing behind me in the concrete hallways. My god, why is he so damn persistent? Doesn't he have somewhere to be, like at the barbeque or something?

"Can you just leave me alone?" I shout, huffing and puffing at this point from exhaustion. My short, though lean legs are beginning to ache at this point, and I believe we've circled around at two or three times.

"No!" comes the fatigued reply.

I come to a complete stop and whirl around. Bokuto is a good distance from me, at least twenty five meters away from me. But I can see the sheen of glistening sweat on his forehead and his chest rapidly rises up and down underneath his tight jersey.

"What the hell do you want? You should be eating lunch," I tell him. I lean against a thin pole, the cool metal relaxing compared to my sweaty, overheated body.

"So should you."

I narrow my eyes at him. "I have nothing to say to you nor anyone else."

"Well, I have something to say to you. What's been up with you? You've been so moody lately. And even I noticed how you were during our match," Bokuto says.

"Oh?" I raise a brow. "Pray, do tell me how I was during your match."

"Well, you were arguing with that blonde coach guy. And then you got all mad and frustrated. I thought you were going to explode!" he cries, throwing his arms in the air for emphasis.

I roll my eyes, annoyed. I want to spit something snide about how he acted during the match but I can't bring myself to. After all, he did have the winning spike. "But I didn't explode."

"Clearly something happened because you freaked out on your brother and ran out here," he points out.

"That's none of your business."

Bokuto groans hysterically. He's beginning to get more frustrated than me, to be honest. "It is too! I'm your friend, okay? You can tell me stuff. I may be simple-minded, but I give decent advice…sometimes."

Sighing, I slide onto the ground, my back resting on the pole still. "I…I want to play volleyball again," I mumble.

He runs over to me and seats himself beside me. He nods, indicating for to continue.

"Lately…I've just been feeling out of it. I feel so…out of place. Sometimes, I wonder why I'm coaching Karasuno. It has no benefit to me; it just makes me wish to be on the court even more. They don't need me anyways. They're all great volleyball players who are rapidly growing. I just don't belong with them."

"It's just going to be my national team all over again. I'm always the one who tries the hardest, the one who is the most loyal, the one who works for the friendship or team to work. But bloody hell, no one gives a shit because in the end, they're just using me for their benefit."

I look over at my friend. He looks utterly puzzled by my words, not that I'm surprised.

I shake my head, feeling completely drained. "You don't get it, do you? Of course you don't; everyone loves you. You're needed somewhere. Right now, even. Just go away and leave me alone already."

"I get it," he blurts out. "I mean, it's never happened to me before. But I think I understand. You want to play volleyball, right? That's natural for anyone who has grown up doing something they love."

"Where the hell are you even going with this?"

Bokuto gives a casual shrug. "I don't know, really. I was going to ask you to become the coach at Fukurodani, just the other day, actually. But I think Karasuno needs you." He flashes one of his cheesy grins that I can't help but return. "You're special, Mei. You gave Karasuno the spark that made their skill skyrocket. And boom! Fukurodani, top five in Japan, nearly lost to you guys. You clearly made a difference to them and you will continue to make a difference if you choose to."

"Yeah, I guess. Until they spread their wings and fly away without me," I mumble, cupping my chin in one hand, my elbow on my leg.

"Don't be so negative about it. Just you wait, Mei. They'll realize that you're more than just a decent coach," says he. He nudges me with his shoulder, a lopsided smile on his tanned face. "Come on. Let's go eat some meat before it' all gone."

I take his outstretched hand and he pulls me to my feet. "You know something, Bokuto?"

Glancing over his shoulder as we head back, he asks, "What?"

"You're not half bad at giving advice," I tell him. "And cheering up. Thanks for being there for me, man. Really."

"Well, just remember to be there for me when I need you to practice," jokes he. I give him a pointed look. "Too soon?"

We approach the site behind the school grounds where the barbeque is located. The aroma of grilled meat wafts towards us and I inhale deeply, my stomach grumbling impatiently. I didn't even realize how hungry I was till we got close.

I grab Bokuto's arm and swing him around. "Quick: do I look like a mess?"

Laughing, he shakes his head. "You look fine, silly," he assures me gently. "Come on; let's go eat." Pushy, aren't we?

Though I don't particularly trust Bokuto's judgment, I follow him down the final hallway and make the sharp turn onto the downy turf. There's a whoosh and a flash before my eyes. I blink rapidly, trying to refocus my vision, only to lay my eyes upon a tear-jerking sight.

"Oh my god."

Everyone from Karasuno is standing there. The lovely third-years and Kiyoko proudly raise the black Karasuno banner high above their heads, broad grins spread across their faces. The others hold another banner, this one black paint on white material. _We love you, Mei-chan!_

Blurry tears fill my eyes and I bite my bottom lip because I'm smiling so wide, my cheeks are beginning to ache. I can't believe I was so upset about feeling unappreciated, that I didn't belong, that they didn't care. I was so blinded by my selfishness and desire for playing that I overlooked the people that were right at my side.

I run straight for Tobio first, clinging tight to his lean body. At first, he tenses underneath my arms, but reluctantly pats my shoulder, not used to the human touch. Smiling, I plant a kiss on his cheek and proceed to do so for everyone, receiving a few blushes from Noya-senpai and Tanaka-senpai. And don't get me started on how beet red Yamaguchi's cheeks turned.

"You guys…oh my god, I can't even…you guys are amazing. I'm so proud of you all for making it this far. I can't wait to see how high you can fly," I cry. The tears are flowing at this point, but I know that they're happy tears. I just know it.

I'm going home before everyone else leaves on the bus, so I individually give them each a short pep talk, going down the line. It feels weird, like I'm actually taking my coaching thing serious. Not the kind of serious when I stayed up to map out plays. Not the kind of serious when I watched them play for hours till my eyes burned. But the kind of serious when I smiled at them and told them how I feel.

"Noya!" I squeal, hugging him and ruffling his hair mildly. Thankfully, he's in a good mood and doesn't complain too much. "You did amazing this entire time at camp. God, you're all around so good; I'm kind of jealous."

I can see the tears glistening in his hazel eyes as he returns the hug and we separated. I move on, to come face to face…well, close enough to face to face, with Shoyo.

"You're really something, Shoyo. You know that?"

His ever-present grin never fails to make me feel better. "I do. Thank you, for everything. You've made me realize where I'm going in volleyball," he says, suddenly serious.

"Hey, who's giving the pep talk here?" I joke. "But I can't wait to see where you go next. Don't stop surprising, alright, shortie?"

Mildly gagging at my affectionate name for him, he nods. "Then don't stop coaching, alright, Mei-chan?"

I give him a thumbs up approvingly. I chuckle a bit to myself. This kid says some funny things. "And then there's you," I say, facing the looming blonde. "I think you already know what I'm going to tell you."

"I don't really," Tsukki mumbles.

"Mend things with your brother, 'kay? Because trust me, I'll make you into someone who can surpass him." I crane my neck to grin at him. "You got guts, Tsukki."

He shrugs indifferently, his golden eyes wandering elsewhere. "I don't really find that a compliment, but whatever."

Siding up beside me, Kuro curls an arm around me, kissing my forehead. "Yo, Glasses."

"I'm trying to give a pep talk here, Kuro," I murmur. I lightly push him but he persists in giving me a sloppy kiss on the lips. "God, PDA much? I'll be with you later."

With a lasting sharp look at Tsukki, he consents. Sometimes, he can be a little desperate for attention. Or most of the time, I know.

Mumbling a short apology, though not daring to look straight at the uncomfortable Tsukki, I look to the next person, only to meet the same, familiar blue eyes I seem to constantly have to stare into. "Well, well, well, saved the best for last, haven't we?"

Tobio rolls his eyes. "You here to mock me or give me some decent words of encouragement?" he says, raising a thin brow.

"Well, I got the first one done, so I'll get on with it." I place my hands on his shoulders. "Hey, you're my brother. And you've done me much prouder than you can ever imagine. Just remember that, okay? You know that I love you, even though we fight a lot, right?"

He nods understandingly, even though I'm well aware that he isn't too fond of emotional moments. "I love you too."

"Thanks, Tobio. I'll see you at the prelims tomorrow. I won't be able to personally talk to you soon because you know I'm moving in with Grandpa. But I know you'll do fine without me." I embrace him but it's soon over. And I walk away, fully knowing that the people behind me will be making miracles the next day.

 _Hey, long chapter! Yay! I'm really happy with this chapter: it's an emotional rollercoaster but I like it. Hope you enjoyed it; please favorite/follow or leave a comment, whatever you'd like. Thanks for reading! xx_


	17. Chapter 16

16

 _I've been trying to get out these chapters as fast as possible so that I can catch up with the anime. So PLEASE bear with me. (I know: I probably said this the last chapter too) School is stressful for someone at my age (not that I'll reveal that; excuse you?) and I hope you understand!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters; I only own Mei._

Mei POV:

A thump in my new bedroom at Grandpa's awakens me, along with the bright sunshine of the morning flooding through the windows and straight into my face. Yeah, that'll take some getting used to.

This thump is followed by many more and as my grogginess begins to wear off, my entire body is drenched in water, soaking my hair, clothes, and the entire bed. "Ji-chan!" I screech angrily, my hands flying to my eyes to wipe away droplets that have blurred my vision.

"Welcome to the household," the old man announces with a burst of laughter.

Tired as I am, I leap out of my bed and whack him with the only dry pillow in the bed. "Hey!" he protests, putting his hands up to protect his face. "That's not something yer s'posed to do to your grandpa. Who was the one who taught you volleyball 'gain, missie?"

I roll my eyes and glance at the time. "Dammit, Ji-chan! You didn't tell me that I have literally less than half an hour to get ready and leave for the prelims!" I grab the first shirt and jeans I spot in my suitcase and jump into the bathroom, nearly slipping on the wet floor while I do so.

"Well, you didn't ask," he replies from outside and I curse loudly as I turn on the shower, only to realize I still have my sopping clothes on. Stupid old man doesn't even know how to wake up a person in a decent manner.

With barely enough time to spare, I make it to the gymnasium where we're playing, hair still in a wet, tangled ponytail dripping down my back and onto my shirt. There are apparently two games going on in here, just side by side. A stupid idea, indeed, but desperately necessary, I suppose, in this case. But I don't see anyone. Then it dawns on me that we don't even have to play, as they made it to the top 16 in the previous tournament when I wasn't around.

I spot a familiar curly head making its way through the sea of excitable volleyball-lovers and hurry towards it. "Takeda-sensei!" I call over the incomprehensible mumblings of the crowd.

He turns around and waves me over. "Thank goodness you're here. Maybe you can help Hinata-kun-"

"What the hell happened to Shoyo?!" I exclaim, causing everyone to glance in my direction, baffled. I don't really mind; I'm just excited, alright? It's my first official match as a coach. God, I sound so old even though most of the members of the team are technically my senpais.

"Come see." Takeda-sensei leads me down a hallway to where everyone is waiting with their bags. They all begin to greet me but I walk straight for the short, orange-haired boy that stands by himself.

"Shoyo, what happene-damn!" Shoyo looks at me. His face is more shriveled up than Ji-chan's: he looks like nothing but skin and bones. I swear, he looks like he might throw up any second now all over me. "Whoa, you okay there, Shoyo?"

He nods, though it isn't a very convincing one. "I'm just really nervous."

My coach instincts and worry are immediately replaced with empathy. I remember my first game as a starter: I was a nervous wreck. I even tripped over my own foot as I walked onto the court. I hug him tightly. "Aw, it's okay…," I murmur, cradling his head in my arms.

"Uwaaaah, comfort me too, Mei-chan!" Tanaka-senpai says, opening his arms for me, to which I just roll my eyes.

When I release him, Shoyo actually looks a lot better. Well, the color in his face is returning, at least.

"Mei, you might want to hug this guy too," Suga-senpai calls to me. He gestures at a stone-faced Asahi.

Laughing, I wrap my arm around the muscular but stiff-necked ace. "I'm so proud of my senpai! He's such a reliable volleyball player!" I cheer, casually leaning my head on his taut shoulder. At my touch, he freezes but I feel his muscles relax after a moment. "Oh god, this is weird; you guys actually calming down because of me."

At that moment, Ukai pops over to where we are gathered, a clipboard in one hand. "Hey! Our first match is coming up," he announces, trying to get everyone's attention. "We're up against Ohgi Minami."

"Ohgi Minami?"

"First match of the day!" I squeal, jittering with energy. I love the pre-game nerves: the thrill of seeing your opponent, the anxiety of messing up, the exhilaration at every success; I love it all. Strange it may sound, but that's just how I am.

"Be quiet, Mei," instructs Ukai, much to my annoyance. When did he become my naggy old father? "They've just finished warming up. You gonna give the pep talk or is it me?"

I rise to my feet, holding my head up high. "I'll take this one." Everyone surrounds us and I grin at their wildly eager expressions. "This is it, guys. This is where we show Japan that Karasuno is living and flying. We aren't fallen crows. You may think that after the training camp, we're weak. But you've all proven to me, Ukai, and yourselves that you all have the skills and weapons to take on nationals. Let's win back our pride."

" _Osu_!" they shout in unison. "Karasuno, FIGHT!" They hurry to line up on the court for the bowing. And today, there is a skip in their step.

"Let's have a good game!"

On the bench, Ukai elbows me, jabbing me right in the arm. "What the hell?" I fiercely whisper.

"Look up."

I glance upward to where Yachi told us she'd be standing. There she is: her little blonde head…beside two other kids I don't recognize. Then I see him. His sharply defined jawline. His narrow, beady eyes that could stare down anything and anyone. His thick, greying brows, knitted together in deep thought.

"Ji-chan."

I didn't think he'd come. When I invited him, he properly refused, claiming he was "too busy" going out with friends. Shouldn't have believed him; like he has any friends.

I catch his gaze and raise my brow accusingly. He just smirks, a twinkle in his eyes.

Reverting my thoughts to the unfolding game, I scoot over to the end of the bench, as I habitually do whenever watching a volleyball match. Come on, like you don't do that.

And on par to my expectations, everyone is playing excellently. I cheer at Asahi's no-touch serve aces. I grin widely when Tobio and Shoyo execute a beautiful set-and-spike. I bubble with joy upon seeing Noya-senpai or Daichi-senpai save a falling ball. I squeal in delight when Tsukki easily blocks a particularly strong spike. I'm practically overflowing with pride as the first set comes to a close.

See that, Ji-chan? I did this. Well, Ukai did too, but still. Look. See what I have done for Karasuno? Do you see me from up there? What are you thinking right now?

My thoughts are directed to our opponents, who seem a bit breathless at our massive strength, not to brag or anything. I study their captain, a 2nd year with black, gelled-back hair. There's something about him, something I sort of recognize…

Suddenly, he chuckles, a rather creepy sound, I may add. He's mumbling random words that I can't comprehend from where I stand with our team. What the hell-

"We're going to beat you Karasuno! And we're going to go and face Shiratorizawa!" he screams at the top of his lungs in a powerful voice.

I have to hold back a laugh, but Tsukki, who drinks his water standing nearby, looks over at me, weirded out. "What are you smiling for?"

I shake my head repeatedly. "Nothing. I just remembered something funny." And it was. I remember the first day of prelims and our ace yelled something similar to that.

I loved Sakura like my own sister. Until the day she passed away in a car accident. I can still remember her smiling face, her pumping fist even when she was on the bench, her irreplaceable chanting and laughter.

Stop it, Mei. Stop thinking about sad things. This is the time to be happy because look at this! You're leading a team through the prelims. Smile, for god's sake!

And I do. For once, I don't feel saddened by the thought of Sakura or by the thought of playing on the national team. And that, my friends, is step one to success: don't feel sad.

"Bloody hell, I'm beat."

"What? All you do is sit on the bench and complain," says Tobio with a sneer. "What kind of a coach are you?"

I toss him a fresh water bottle with a flick of a wrist. At the last moment, he catches it before it clatters to the floor. "A supportive one," I reply, grinning.

"Very," he spits sarcastically. I simply stick out my tongue at him.

Noya-senpai runs over to me from out of nowhere. "Mei, might want to check this out." He gestures for me to follow him, leading me down the endless hallway.

And before me is a giant.

"Don't tell me-"

"Yup. He's our next opponent," Noya-senpai whispers into my ear as the lumbering volleyball player passes by us without a mere glance in our direction. "He's nearly 40 centimeters taller than Shoyo!"

I giggle at this. But the smile remains on my face. This could get interesting…

 _I know that was a lame ending but I wanted to finish this as soon as possible. Plus, I just got freaking braces and you must know how annoying painful it is to brush and floss and all that crap._

 _Anyways, thanks for reading. I can't believe we've passed 3,000 views. Like, that's crazy. My goodness, aren't we busy?_

 _I'm just joking around._

 _I'll try to update soon. Please share/favorite/follow or whatever. xx_


	18. Chapter 17

17

 _Here's chapter 17! I'm trying to catch up in all of the animes (still don't know if it's supposed to be like that when plural) I've been watching/wanting to watch. But I need to finished Haikyuu and all sooooo here we go!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters._

Mei POV:

"Damn." I sit back on the bench, the metal's cold seeping through the thin fabric of my leggings. "Just damn."

Hyakuzawa Yudai. I didn't even think anyone could be as tall as he is. But this guy surely exceeded my expectations of any teams here, height-wise, at least. And his limbs! So muscular and long: when he spikes, the ball isn't even close to the blockers' hands.

I must say, it's quite a tall mountain to climb. Instead of blocking his spikes, we could potentially try to simply receive them and try to gain points offensively. But the problem is spiking around him. I mean, it's obvious: the guy's two meters tall. You have to be a skilled, quick-witted hitter to get the ball past him.

"Hey, you focusing on the game?" Ukai asks in a low voice.

Rolling my eyes, I nod, even though he isn't looking at me. "Yeah, yeah, you old nag," I mumble under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

I watch as that setter of theirs tap the ball and Hyakuzawa's large body leaps into the air, facing to his left. His arm swings down and the ball pointedly falls right to where his eyes focus. My lips curl into a small smile before I realize it. Guess it's amateur night, huh? They just cast him for his height.

"Hey, Ukai. I've got an idea…"

Kageyama Tobio POV:

I feel…different today. My fingers tingle strangely, but it's not in a bad way, to say the least. And this just might work. No, scratch that. It will work.

Just as Noya-senpai easily receives Hyakuzawa-kun's spike, I run into place. I lift my arms up, my fingers awaiting the pressure of the volleyball. Timing…is…everything. My mind focuses on one thing and one thing only: Set the ball.

Out of the very corner of my eye, Hinata's already sprinting, his short legs moving speedily. And I tap the ball backwards to him.

There it is.

It's that.

That miraculous, most beautiful sound in the world, the music to my ears: the crashing sound of the ball against the opponent's side of the court.

I feel myself smirk, pride intensely filling my heart. I look over to Hinata, who stands right beside me, in front of the net.

This is it.

A few days later:

"AH! I'm so pumped for qualifiers now!" I yell loudly, the gymnasium echoing with my voice. "Everyone: do three laps and then individual practice! We're having a scrimmage later!"

"So annoying…," mutters Tsukki.

"I heard that, you ugly megane brat!" My eyes scan the court, gazing over our players. "Anyone see Tobio?"

"I heard him talking to himself the other day," says Tanaka-san. "But I guess that's normal for him."

Suspicious. Tobio's usually one of the first few to arrive: he's actually quite the morning person, in comparison to others. Where the heck could he be right now?

I notice Kiyoko entering from the opposite door. "Hey, Kiyoko! Have you seen Tobio around here?" I call to her, slightly waving my hand.

She walks over, a volleyball she's cleaning in her palm. "I don't think so…but I saw Hitoka-chan talking to someone outside. Maybe she knows."

I flash a small smile. "Thanks, Kiyoko." I run outside, the heavy morning light shining onto my face. God, it's going to be hot day today. "Tobio? Yachi-chan?"

"Mei?"

I jog and turn the corner of the building, only to burst into laughter. "What the hell are you wearing?" I exclaim, my hand to my mouth in vain attempt to stop my giggling.

Tobio, clad in an oversized, black hoodie, a low baseball cap, and dark shades that belong to me, looks in my direction. "Oh, shut up!" he cries, embarrassed.

"What on earth are you doing out here? Don't you know we have practice?" I nod at the opened gymnasium door from which volleyball shoes against the slick floor and balls falling to the ground sound. "Wait a minute…are you going to scout a school?!"

He bites his bottom lip hard. "So, what? You going to try and stop me?"

"Nah." I pull my hair into a high ponytail with the elastic on my wrist. "I'm coming with you."

"Hah? No way!"

I fold my arms over my chest defiantly, cocking my head to the side a bit. "Then you're not going," I shoot back, smirking.

His shoulders droop but he looks utterly pissed. Relieving a heavy groan, Tobio mutters, "Alright. Let's go already."

"Yay! But you might want to change into something more…appropriate. You're not robbing the damn school so don't look like it." I send a broad grin at Yachi, who looks mildly uncomfortable. "Tell Ukai I feel sick, 'kay? This is our little secret."

She nods agreeably. Such a nice girl; sometimes, it's a shame that she worries so much.

And then we're off, taking a quick cab to the school. It's a nice facility, I suppose, but that doesn't mean the volleyball team are going to be nice people.

"Smile more!" I tell Tobio through my teeth as we stroll down the pavement, patiently ignoring the intense stares of students there. "God, you might as well be a policeman because you keep glaring at people!"

He rolls his eyes and says something under his breath that I can't hear. Not that I'd probably like to hear it anyways.

We finally reach what I presume to be the gymnasium. Tobio discovers a windowed slit in the wall where we can look through without being noticed. Hopefully, of course.

"This is so cool! I love scouting out schools; it's such fun. I almost feel like an undercover spy," I say, trying to light Tobio's serious, aggravated mood. "Don't you think, Tobio?"

"Mei."

"What is it?"

He points at the window. "Look."

I peer through the glass to lay my eyes on the one human being I didn't want to see. "Great. Just damn great."

There he is. The one and only, Oikawa Tooru. Bloody Tooru. Why the hell did he have to be here out of all the times in the world? Stop smiling, you bastard. You're nothing but a bloody flirt who doesn't have a damn heart. I can't believe I even liked the guy. Because after that encounter with him while I was with Tobio, I realized that he's already changed back to the talented but taunting player he was before I met him. But I've changed too.

Despite my hateful thoughts towards him as a person, I still watch him. There's something about To-I mean, Oikawa-san that kind of captivates you when he plays volleyball. He always shines the brightest…yet he can always make the rest of the team shine their brightest too. It's such a perplexing thought, but I don't disagree with it.

"That's it," whispers Tobio from my right.

I glance over at him. "Huh?"

"That's it," he repeats, more sure of himself the second time. "That's the difference between me and Oikawa-senpai…he brings the full potential out of everyone in the team, even if he just started playing with them. I can't do that…How? How does he do that? HOW DO YOU FUCKING DO THAT?!" (excuse the language)

"Tobio!" I reprimand in a fierce whisper, but they've already heard. My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach and I grab Tobio's hand, dashing away from the window as fast as my legs can go.

"Hey!"

I stop in my tracks, but Tobio still runs and is jerked back by our connected hands. Instantly, I release it, my palms now sweaty. But that's not my main concern. I slowly turn in a 180 to come face to face with my ex.

His thin brows knit together in what I assume as surprise mixed with suspicion. "What are you two doing here?" Oikawa-san calmly asks, though the last word goes up at the end slightly.

Do I tell him the truth? Or do I lie through my teeth? "Uh, just scouting our future opponent for the qualifiers," I reply with a bright smile. Or what I hope is one. "What are you up to?"

"I was invited to come and give some advice." His brown eyes flicker from me to Tobio. "Run along, Tobio-chan. Mei-chan and I have some things to discuss."

"Wait a minute-," Tobio begins to protest but Oikawa-san gives him a hard look that only I would dare counter. "Fine. I'll be back at school, Mei." And before I can stop him, he hurries away, out of sight.

I harden my gaze. "There's nothing to talk about, Oikawa-san."

"If you start calling you again, I promise I'll remove the –chan from your name," he blurts out.

"That's seriously all you care about right now?"

He raises his brow. "Oh? Is there more I should care about?"

"No, no. Fine, TOORU," I say with great emphasis on his name for exaggeration and annoyance purposes, "what do you want to talk about?"

Tooru looks at me. He just looks at me. The same way he did before I left. His edges of his pink lips slightly turned upward, his eyes sparkling. His chocolate brown hair has grown longer since we've last seen each other; it's thin strands barely grazing his eyelids.

"Stop it!" I lash out, taking a step back. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"Mei…" I can't bear to even look him in the eye, for fear I will burst into tears. Tears of what-I don't know. But I do know I won't keep a straight face. "Don't you like me still?"

I lean against the wall to steady me, as my knees feel like they'll give out at any second. "I-I don't know. I don't…dislike you." I chuckle to myself. "Even if you're a bastard a lot."

Tooru approaches me and I know I've already backed myself into a corner. He gently caresses my cheek with his bare hand. It's warm, almost…soothing, even though I don't want it to be. "I don't dislike you either," he whispers. I shake internally; the sound of his voice so close is so nostalgic, so desirable.

His opposite hand tilts my chin upwards and his face comes closer, inch by inch, until there's no space between us. Our lips connect perfectly, like a key in its lock. My insides twist but the butterflies in my stomach resurrect, feeling oh-so fluttery. I'm on fire, electrocuted. I'm in the air, I'm flying. I don't even know where I am anymore.

I run my hand through his hair, the other wrapped around his neck. His arms encircle me as we continue to passionately kiss.

Suddenly, I pull away, realization hitting me like a bullet. "Kuro."

"Kuro? What about him?" asks Tooru in confusion.

"I-I'm dating him," I answer.

"But you like me."

Do I? Do I like Tooru? Do I like him more than Kuro? Kuro's my best friend in the world. But he doesn't feel that way anymore. Or does he? Is he mistaking our close friendship to be love? Because…because it's not. Volleyball is my ultimate love and now that's it been taken away from me, I need to fill the hole in my heart. And I think I just used Kuro for that, in a rather useless, idiotic way.

I stare at Tooru, still wrapped in his embrace. "I don't like you."

He flinches, clearly taken aback.

"I love you."

 _OOOOH. SHE JUST DROPPED THAT! MMMM. Now I want an Oikawa. I'M SO LONELY._

 _Anyways, soooo what's going to happen to Kuro? They've known each other for forever and they're technically in a relationship! What about Tsukki? They totally had a connection, even if all they do is throw sarcastic remarks at each other._

 _Who knows? I don't even know! Just find out in the next update, I guess!_

 _Thanks for reading! Sorry it's short. But please favorite/follow/comment or whatever. xx_


	19. Chapter 18

18

 _I've been kind of mixing up the episodes lately so that my chapters aren't too lengthy and the plot will make sense along with what goes on in the anime. Hope you've been enjoying it so far, because I've been working my butt off for this, okay?_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. I only own Mei._

Mei POV:

"Um, Mei…"

"Hah?" I look up from my sketchbook, which I have been doodling plays on for the past half hour, to see Tsukki standing beside the bench I lie on in the Karasuno gymnasium. "What do you want? Practice was over fifteen minutes ago. We're going to Kanto tomorrow so you need to get some rest."

"I know that. But um…do you know how to block a spike when the opponent is stronger or taller than you?"

Immediately, I sit up, dropping the sketchbook to the floor with a clatter I choose to ignore. I place my hand to his forehead, stunning him embarrassed. "Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Did you just ask me for…advice?!" I cry. What is happening with the earth? But to be honest, I'm actually quite happy he's finally come to me about volleyball instead of spitting snide remarks at me. That he's actually beginning to take volleyball seriously.

He pushes my hand aside. "I'm fine, geez. Don't need to overreact."

"Sorry, sorry. Just happy." I smile, to which he rolls his eyes at. "A great man once said: 'Timing is everything.' That is the case for volleyball, specifically blocking. You already have the height and the ability to read-block, which are both quite necessary. But…you know what? I'll tell you something more important. When we're in Kanto, I have an assignment for you: watch Kuro from Nekoma. If you can have timing like him, I bet you would easily match up with him in terms of blocking."

Tsukki gives me a puzzled look mixed with something else I can't put my finger on. "Are you praising him because he's your boyfriend?"

I flush darkly. "No, no. Of course not. But seriously, you'll see what I'm saying. Just watch him, alright? Give it a chance." I pick up my sketchbook from the ground. "Now go home and leave me in peace."

With a remaining baffled expression, he exits the gym.

That's when it dawns on me: I'll have to see Kuro tomorrow. How am I going to face him, knowing my feelings for Tooru? Oh bloody hell, what am I going to do? But I know in my heart that I need to break up with him. No matter the consequences.

God, this is going to hurt more than it should.

In Kanto:

I stroll down the sidewalk, admiring the pretty flowers that beautify the campus. An extravagant yellow, a peaceful lilac, a faded periwinkle, a blossoming scarlet, such a variety of colors but all equally lovely. I'm not much of a gardening enthusiast, but I do enjoy looking at scenery, though I don't think too much of it and its deeper meaning.

"Hey, you!"

I look up. "You know, when we first met after nationals, it was by a flowerbed too," I say, fondly picking a small daisy in the flower bed.

"Yeah. And when I gave you a bloody red tulip, you didn't even know what it meant." Kuro smirks grimly.

I shrug. "I'm ignorant; sue me. How'd your game go?"

"Lost. I mean, it's Fukurodani so I don't think too much of losing," he replies indifferently. "But you guys on the other hand…"

A smile of pride crosses my face. "It's all them. They've been working so hard and it's paid off. I really think that they can take on Tooru."

"Speaking of Oikawa…have you seen him lately?"

I flinch. Didn't see that one coming. I didn't even think they were very well acquainted, despite my closeness to both during my middle school years. "Um, yeah. You could say that," I mumble.

Wrong choice, Mei. Kuro side-glances at me, clearly suspicious. "What's that supposed to mean?"

My instinct is to tell him that I briefly saw him passing by but didn't interact. But in my heart, I know that it's time. It's time to break up. We haven't even been going out for very long, as we're both enamored in our teams and volleyball. It wasn't a steady relationship anyways. But it's more than just that. This could snap our friendship in half and toss away the remains.

"There's something I've been meaning to say," I begin.

His narrow black eyes flicker with worry. His thin brows lift, concerned. "What's that?" he inquires.

"Um….God, this is really hard to say." I stare at my clasped hands, tap my foot, do anything but look straight at him. "We need to break up."

Nothing. Just plain silence, excepting the murmurs of high school boys chatting up a storm in the distance and the soothing summer winds. It feels like an eternity, standing there with little distance between us, avoiding eye contact.

"Why?" is his abrupt response.

"I-I don't like you in that way," I blurt out before I can prevent myself from saying the harsh words that first came to mind. It's his turn to flinch but he lets me continue in spite of the pained expression he wears. "I love you, Kuro, but…only as a friend."

His look hardens, his brow furrowing. "It's Oikawa, isn't it?" I don't respond. Not out of fear, but because it's simply the truth. "Mei, is it Oikawa? Because I'm willing to wait. I'll wait for you, okay? We can keep trying, I promise, and—"

Shaking my head and blinking away tears rapidly, I cry out, "No, Kuro! I can't do that to you. I can't do that to myself. It's not fair to you and I would never forgive myself if I hurt you."

Kuro's body vibrates and his face flushes beet red, with anger or embarrassment, I don't know. Probably both. "Too late."

And he stalks away, leaving me with a rapidly beating heart and sore, painful feelings.

I lie in the grass, absentmindedly plucking the thin wisps and releasing them to be carried by the cool breeze. Unsanitary as it is, it's quite enjoyable. I hate being alone with my thoughts as much as the next guy, but when I can't help myself. The warm tufts of grass were just urging me to take a seat and cloud-watch. An uninteresting hobby, yes, but it takes your mind off of things.

"What are you doing?"

"You always show up at the worst time, you know that?" I say with a flick of my wrist, sending the green strands into the air.

Bokuto lies down beside me, his body much larger in comparison to mine. "What are you thinking about?" asks he as he begins to mimic my newfound enjoyment of pulling at the fresh lawn.

"Who said I was thinking?"

"Well, most people do," he reasons, shrugging, if that's possible while you're on your back.

I sigh. "Well, I'm not. I'm just staring at the clouds trying to lose my thoughts."

"And how's that been working for you?"

"Not very well," I reply, ruefully chuckling.

"Want to tell?" Bokuto places his hands behind his head, looking directly up at the fluffy white clouds that scatter the bright blue canvas of the sky.

I roll my eyes at this. But for some reason, I still ask, "Do you like anyone, Bokuto? I mean, not like a friendship like. More of a…romantic like."

"Oh, trouble in paradise, hmm?" he says, easily evading my inquiry.

"Yeah, well, there wasn't much paradise to begin with anyways," I reply. The sun burns at my eyes so I shut them, talking to Bokuto in the darkness.

"The whole world knows about you and Oikawa-san, trust me. It's all over the tabloids and that crap. There was something about you guys recently getting back together."

I groan, though it isn't much news to me. When we started dating back then, we got found out quite easily by juicy gossip-vying paparazzi. "It's not official."

"Do you want it to be?" asks Bokuto, evidently interested to hear the latest scoop on our relationship.

"Well…yeah. Even though he annoys my ass, I love him." How can you not? He's one of the best volleyball players I've ever met. He lights up the entire team he plays with. He has the most contagious smile and laugh in the universe. He has a caring heart and a special place in it just for me.

Rolling onto his side, Bokuto turns, his golden eyes locking onto me so I can't help but look back. "Hey, but weren't you kinda dating Kuro? I don't get any of that love stuff in general but I know you two have always been close."

"We were. I dumped him yesterday," I confess, much more easily than I expected.

He looks surprised. "Really? I just assumed you were over Oikawa-san since you didn't get back together after nationals," says he.

"I thought I was too. But that's the trouble with dating: you never really understand your feelings till it's too late. Now can we please not talk about this anymore? I don't need you running your mouth for the magazines either."

"You don't trust me?" Bokuto feigns a look of hurt that I don't buy for a second.

"I don't." I glance at my phone. "Time for dinner. Race you there?"

He flashes a knowing smirk as he rises to his feet. "Loser has to do fifty serves."

"Easy."

 _Kinda short chapter, but I tried. Again, trying to catch up to the anime as quickly as possible._

 _Please share this with your friends or give me feedback yourself; I'd really appreciate it. Truly._

 _Also favorite/follow. Thanks; I'll try to update ASAP. xx_


	20. Chapter 19

19

 _Aye, new chapter here! I can't believe we're at freaking chapter 19; that's pretty insane. I'm never that diligent in my stories/fanfics. Maybe it's because I'm motivated to keep this up, as more and more people read. I really appreciate all of you guys reading this fanfic because it means the world to me. I probably say that every time, but it's true. I work really hard to make these chapters happen while I deal with my daily life of school, future colleges and career paths, friendships, familial relationships, all that._

 _So thank you. Love y'all. xx_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. By the way, this is episode 15 of season 2, since I haven't mentioned what episode we're on recently._

Mei POV:

"Who are they again?"

"Johzenji. They're known as the 'party team' because they're all about having fun while playing volleyball. A simplistic foundation for their playing, but not necessarily a weakness," Takeda-sensei replies, studying his notes on his little notepad through his shiny glasses. "They were semifinalists at the Inter-High prelims."

Speaking of glasses… "Tsukki, you're wearing your glasses today, eh?" I say teasingly as the tall blonde passes my way to get in line.

He gives me a disgusted glare and purposely ignores me, walking away. This guy never fails to baffle me at the most random of times.

"Let's play!" they shout in unison, bowing.

I'm quite looking forward to this game, as we're finally at qualifiers. This is it. This is the first step towards nationals. And I'm going there with a team that sheds the most sweat, plays the hardest they can, and holds on as much as they can.

Asahi-san jumps elegantly and serves, a powerful one indeed. The receivers messes up slightly and the second touch is off as well. This is our point. We're taking the flow of the game, for sure.

The last guy to go after it is their captain, a spikey-haired male with an annoyingly loud voice. No way is he going to make that. Not after it's nearly out. He turns as he jumps-what the hell is he doing-and SPIKES it? It shoots straight past our stunned players and slams into the floor.

Holy crap, I just underestimated the enemy. I just broke rule one of volleyball.

Well, I'm quite taken aback. I don't think I've seen many teams like this one, and trust me, I've encountered far too many teams to count. Their plays are strange, not the most graceful. Not graceful at all, to be honest, simply abrupt. But this is only to advantage because they're difficult to read, being so unexpected; they leave you too shocked to react. It can't be just luck or quick reflexes. They've learned how to act in various situations in a swift manner, hence the fact they're not smooth plays, but they work.

Their #2 serves and thankfully, the ball slams into the net. But his teammates run over to him, ruffling out his hair and spitting joking jests at him. God, why are they so carefree? It's pissing me off. Like they're not taking this seriously enough for me and the team, who have been working so hard to for this day.

These people are so bloody annoying. They attack normal, then they attack weird. Their receives are off but then they still gain the point. It's just so-ugh. Don't get mad, Mei. Don't get mad. If you get mad, it'll just add wood to the flame. Keep your cool. Keep your damn cool, Mei.

I smile as Tanaka-san barely receives the ball but Shoyo jumps to prevent it from getting out. When it nearly touches the floor, Noya-san gets it, giving us the point. Thank the Lord for these quick-thinking guys.

But the holes in Johzenji are beginning to show. I'll put it out there: they're utterly unrefined. Calling them ungraceful was the understatement of the year. Bumping into each other, jumping for random attacks, falling for feints: they're all over the place. Yet they still manage to snag points with their unexpected, sloppy attacks or risky receives.

"Oh my god, you're stupid. You know that, right?" I say. I glare at my brother, who holds a very red, stained tissue to his nose.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbles, clearly just as annoyed with himself as I am with him. "But don't forget that one time someone served and you had your back turned so they hit you in the head."

I cringe at the memory. "It was my first game, okay?" I cry defensively. "Just go clean yourself up, you annoying brat."

Tobio rolls his eyes but walks away. Great, just when I thought we had a chance at closing the set, we have to take out our setter _and_ Shoyo since he hasn't worked with Suga-san.

But just minutes later, I'm clutching my stomach with my hands, my ribs aching like hell from laughing so hard. "Oh…oh my god…that was…precious!" I exclaim, trying hard to stifle my remaining snickers. I even wipe a tear or two from my eyes.

"Hey, act professional. We just won the set, sheesh." Ukai nudges me with his elbow. I feel like that's a routinely thing nowadays.

"Sorry, sorry. But I mean, I totally thought their synchronized attack was going to work because they seemed so confident in it," I say. I can't stop myself from grinning at the sight of their blonde #1 being helped up from the ground after messing up on his spike. "But with Johzenji, guess you never really know."

Ukai shrugs, picking up his clipboard as we begin to switch sides of the court. "Their reckless behavior is kind of scaring me." ( _Pillowtalk reference lol_ )

I nod, agreeing. "Yeah. But it's kinda cool."

"Well, well, well, look who's shining today?" I say, folding my arms across my chest during the time out, called by Johzenji. They're definitely getting panicky. "Stepping up your game, aren't you, Captain-san?"

Daich-san furrows his brow, confused. "What?"

"Don't act so modest." I pat him on the shoulder, wearing a broad smile. "It's the little things that count. I see you telling the others when to back up for a deep spike, or when Shoyo misses his hit and you receive it just in time."

"And…?" he says, remaining slightly baffled at where this was going.

I chuckle. "You don't need to look so nervous. I just wanted to say thanks. You're acting like a real captain out there and I appreciate it. Those idiots," I give a slight nod in the direction of a beaming Shoyo and Tobio as Suga-san praises them, "really need someone they know they can rely on. And you're doing a great job."

Daichi smiles, clearly relieved. "Thanks. I've been trying my best."

"I can see that." I punch him in the shoulder lightly. "Now go get 'em, Captain. Do me proud."

"You got it." He runs back onto the court in position just as the ref calls both teams back.

Ukai pokes me in the back and I whip around to face him. "What?"

He smirks, which pisses me off mildly. What is going on in that mind of his? "Hey, look over at Johzenji for a moment," he tells me.

I furrow my brow. "Huh? Those flighty, fun-loving guys?"

"Just look."

I glance over at their side, their team as they scatter onto their court. I study their vastly-changed expressions. They suddenly have this aura…like they're much more serious and less playful, like their spirits have just been ignited to a flame. And that flame is catching.

"Looks like the second round's finally beginning," comments Ukai from beside me.

"You just said that to sound cool, didn't you?" I say, snickering.

"Shut up, Mei."

"Johzenji's doing much better ever since that time out…I wonder what happened," mumbles Takeda-sensei, sitting at my right on the bench. And there's nothing but truth in their words. We're 19-16, with us in the lead by three points. But Johzenji is evidently catching up to us, like a light-footed beast lurking and sneaking upon its prey.

But all the more, I like it. Fierce competition keeps me on my toes, makes my adrenaline even from the bench rush more, causes my mind to process and think faster. And our team will definitely reach new heights if they can overcome each hurdle at a time. You can't expect preliminaries to be easy; one would be surprised at the number of talented, powerhouse high schools in Japan.

I watch as Shoyo makes a mad dash towards the ball and leaps into the air. "Eh?" I raise my brow, noticing Johzenji backing up to receive the spike. "Guess they aren't just a group of mindless idiots."

Shoyo deftly slams his arm down but the ball is messily received by #11. That crazy blonde #1 of theirs dives, kicking it up into the air perfectly, as if he had practiced it over and over. Another member jumps and spikes it, much to our surprise.

"Oh, great." It's plain obvious that Shoyo's infuriated that he's not getting marked by blockers and that they were able to counter his spike. This could go down badly. He huffs over to Tobio, whispering into his ear. _Don't do anything stupid, Tobio. He may be the leader in your duo but that doesn't mean you're under his orders._

The points go back and forth at each vain attempt of ours and theirs. The results are very unsure and even I'm getting uneasy. I hate to admit it but I mildly underestimated them. They've got guts to make the plays they make, and Lady Luck's been favoring them the second half of this set, so therefore, their rash movements prove successful.

And just as I thought of it…four of them move forwards, preparing to perform a synchronized attack. The ball is just leaving the setter's fingers when I screech, "Get ready! It's not like the one before!"

Their annoying-ass captain jumps and spikes it. I watch as it sails right past Captain's long fingers. _Please…please don't make it in…_ It ricochets off the ground with a booming noise. And the red flag is raised high in the air.

This feeling of delight that rapidly begins to fill my heart…this is pure joy.

An hour later, I'm sipping bottled water beside Tobio outside, waiting for everyone finish up in the bathroom.

"Feeling good about tomorrow? Wakutani South is definitely going to be a higher mountain to climb," I say.

He chews on his ham and egg sandwich, then swallows loudly. "Yeah, I guess. But I'm kind of worried after what Ukai said about them have a defense on par with Nekoma," he tells me, a worried look in his eye.

"Don't worry," I reply confidently. "You have me as a coach to guide you."

"I would be even more worried then," comments a voice from behind me.

"No one asked you to come AGAIN," I spit indignantly at my sneering grandfather. "You seriously don't have any friends your own age, do you?"

Ji-chan flashes a broad grin anyways. "But I did. And you were secretly happy, so that's okay."

"Don't dodge her question." Tobio takes his own bottle of water and downs a third of it in one drink.

"I _do_ have friends!" he insistently cries to which I laugh at. "I just came by to tell you to take care of yerself. And don't do anything stupid."

I roll my eyes with a scoff. "I don't need you to telling me that."

But he's already walking away, clearly not wanting to let me get the last word. "See ya at home! Bring some groceries, will ya? Our milk's expired."

"Not happening," I shout back, receiving a few weirded-out looks from passing volleyball players.

"Come on, Mei. The bus is already here," says an embarrassed Tobio, grabbing my elbow and dragging me out.

I ignore my grandfather's mocking words. I'm not stupid and I won't make any stupid mistakes like he thinks. Tomorrow's going to be even better than today. I promise it.

 _I know I rushed that ending but y'know, it's getting late writing this and I'm not really happy sooooo._

 _Yeah. Anyways, hope you enjoyed that chapter despite it being kinda short…again. I'll try to fit in an emotional, lengthy one for y'all soon. Thanks for reading; I'll try to update soon. xx_


	21. Chapter 20

20

 _Lots of updates lately because I'm happy! Kinda! I mean, three day weekend sooooo, I had a lot of time to catch up on my YouTube subscriptions and all my fan fictions. So, chapter 20: here we go! Hope you like it!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters. And the core plot line isn't mine either._

Mei POV ( _do I really need to keep putting these in; I mean they're probably never going to be anyone else's POV for a long time)_ :

I sigh and lean against the south wall of the gymnasium. The late night is gloriously cool and breezy, perfect after an exhausting day of intense games and brutal coaching. Sure, I'm not the one playing, but you'd be surprised how stressful it is to be on the coach's bench, okay?

I chug a can of iced tea from the vending machine, the cold liquid soothing on my dry tongue. This is the life: two great wins, a gorgeous, starry night, and complete peace. A good time to reflect on my feelings.

Tomorrow's another big day, just another step towards the Spring Tournament. I was observing Wakunan, our next opponent, this afternoon after our games, and they're going to be different from any other team we've played. Ukai even voiced his opinion on such, agreeing that they'll be a challenge to handle. Just a gut feeling, I know, but half the time, our instincts are pretty accurate.

But, in all honesty, I'm not scared. I'm utterly proud of my friends, how vastly they've improved, how quick they've learned to adapt to each team. And I want to take them to nationals.

Maybe it's not for them, it's for me. I've said so before: I want to go to nationals with a team that has effort. Karasuno…each member plays to the best of their abilities, no matter how inferior they feel to either their opponent or their own teammate. That's such a beautiful thing I can't even describe. My old team wasn't able to do that; they fully let me down by just giving up. I have so much faith in Karasuno. They can reach their full potential if they keep trying. And I know they will.

I pause my thoughts and lie even further on the building, gazing up at the night sky. It's pretty as ever, in spite of the few trees that block my view. It's a perfect, black-blue color, dotted by tiny, glowing stars, millions of miles away.

I don't know why but whenever I look up at the sky, my thoughts are drawn to Tooru. Just thinking about him makes me want to see him…is that creepy?

When we first started dating, the world instantly found out. I don't really know how, but I have a hunch someone leaked a picture of us heading home together after school. Whenever I went to interviews for magazines or live television, the number one question was why I started dating Tooru, whether for the fame or coaching. Of course, I simply said that I found him charming and fun to be around, so if we broke up, there would be less trouble for both me and him. Though that didn't prevent a lot of hate from Tooru's fawning, obsessive fans when I "dumped" him.

But the thing about Tooru is…I fell in love (if you can even call it that) with him the day I saw him play volleyball. I get that the important attribute of a person to fall in love with is their personality, but…I just felt attracted to him. I'm a volleyball player; it's just a natural instinct to study someone's abilities in the sport. He just…shined, more so than anyone else on the team. He was the North Star amongst the others, the brightest of them all.

And it's not just his volleyball skills; he made, or should I say, makes me smile. No one else can do that for me, I think. I mean, I'm normally an emotionless, passive person who everyone views as a sarcastic bitch, because...well, I am. But Tooru made me feel like myself when I was around him. I sincerely laughed at his jokes, felt at ease in his arms, enjoyed every second with him. It didn't matter what we did or where we were, whether we were practicing into the late of night at school, racing to finish our meals so we could practice during lunch break, or observing volleyball games and sneering at the novice players: we had so much genuine fun. Volleyball was what connected us, and it still does.

When I received the acceptance letter from the nationals' team, it tore my heart to break up with him. And maybe it was the wrong decision to cut off ties with him, because all I felt was pain missing him, though I ignored it. But I truly believed that we would eventually get back together. But the day I left, I realized how much I wanted to really be together. Not just as a cute, volleyball-prodigy couple, but genuinely in love, if we are there yet. And I think Tooru feels the same way.

My shoulders slump and I sigh heavily. Where does that leave Kuro, though? I look over to my right, and I can practically see him right beside me, running his large hand through his thick, edge hair, a permanent smirk plastered to his angular face. My best friend since I could remember, someone I can't live without. I never wanted to hurt him, honest. But he was right: I was too late.

The moment I accepted to try and be his girlfriend, knowing in the back of my mind I can't push away my feelings for Tooru, I hurt him. It was right in my face and I blew it by selfishly being with him. It's entirely my fault.

"What are you doing out here?"

I shift to turn and see the one and only Tsukishima Kei standing there, his pale face dimly lit by the glow of a small lamp on the wall. "I should be saying that to you," I reply, flinching at the crack in my voice but choosing not to address it. "Have a seat and join me in the world of thinking."

Though he looks a little hesitant, he sits beside me on the soft turf outside the gymnasium. "Why are you in the world of thinking?" he asks, relaxing his shoulders.

"It's a nice world…when you have nice thoughts, of course," I answer, chuckling. But he doesn't join me. "Sometimes, you need some time to be alone with your thoughts. Confront them, y'know?"

"I don't really know what I'm thinking though…," says Tsukki.

"Well, how about your brother? Are you on better terms with him lately? Been talking?"

"You're really hooked up on him and me being close again, aren't you?" I just grin. He isn't wrong. "I've been practicing with him and some of his older college friends, if that's anything."

I nod approvingly. "It is something. I mean, I can tell your read blocking's been getting better too. You've been watching Kuro like I told you, huh?"

"I guess," he mumbles, to which I laugh again. "You're really annoying sometimes, you know that?"

Shrugging, I fully lie down in the grass to look up at him through his shining lenses. "I'm not trying to be. I just want the best for you guys. You all deserve to win nationals because you have the perseverance as well as skills to make it. Even if you're a sarcastic asshole who calls me annoying, you're a pretty decent guy, Tsukki. That's why I care," I tell him. I run my fingers through the green tufts of grass absentmindedly, ignoring the thoughts of insanitation that come to mind.

He's silent for a while, just watching me carefully. I watch him back. "Thanks. I know you care, and I…appreciate it." I see a faint hint of a genuine smile in his expression.

"Aw, Tsukki." I sit up and kiss him on the cheek. His brows shoot up in surprise. "We should go to the world of thoughts more often." And I walk away, feeling strangely lighthearted.

The Next Day:

"How're you feeling today, Coach?" I pat Ukai on the shoulder as I pass him, grabbing a sealed water bottle from the stack beside our bench.

"Not good. I have a bad feeling about Wakunan," he mumbles, fumbling with his hands and clipboard as he speaks. "They're…freakishly composed. They've known for their excellent defense and that scares me because with Tobio and Hinata as our core offense, if they easily figure out how to deal with their quick, they'll break down early in the game."

I nod, understanding what he means. "Well, that means we have to up our defense as well. Don't underestimate Captain and Noya-san just yet. Even Shoyo's been getting decent receives with his arms instead of his face."

"We'll just have to see." He takes a seat beside me just as the first set starts.

"Go, go, Wakunan!" screeches an older male's voice.

I look over to my right to see a large huddle of people with similar facial features. They have to be related. But their cheering is going to be a nuisance and potential distraction to our players. I wonder if we can file a complaint…

"Alright, alright," I mutter to myself, folding my hands together tightly. "If we can get the first point and set the pace in our favor, we can take this set. Go for a quick that'll give 'em a good kick."

Captain receives the ball easily with a perfect pass to Tobio, who performs a flawless back-set to mid-air Shoyo. The orange-haired boy slams the ball down and #1 immediately is caught off-guard when he receives it, causing it to go out of bounds. _Good_.

"Alright, we're going to shut them down next time, real quick, guys!" announces their #1, annoyingly unfazed.

What the hell? Is he some kind of arrogant brat? Or is he just confident in his skills? Prove yourself if you're going to talk crap, kid.

"I can practically read your expression," says Ukai with a deep frown. "Don't starting thinking bullshit about the opposing team just yet. They're smart, see? They've already figured out how to react to Hinata, which will definitely come to our disadvantage."

I groan. "So early in the game too…"

He nods, sighing a bit. "We have difficulties against teams that think intelligently and play to their strengths, setting their own pace for the entire game. Like Nekoma and Seijoh," he tells me.

"Well, then we're just going to fight back as hard as we can. Pure strength got Shiratorizawa their fame and it'll give us it too, if we work to the best of our abilities," I reason.

"Spoken like a champion."

"You got that right," I spit, leaning forward onto my knees. "Now shut up; I'm trying to watch the game here."

"Oh, bloody hell these guys!" I screech, messing with my hair furiously. I glare at their #1 again, who seems to keep making a reappearance on my list of annoying volleyball players. "Nakashima Takeru…"

"A wipe, hmm? A smart choice, considering the circumstances he was in," comments Ukai observingly.

I turn my gaze to him, pissed. "Who's side are you on?"

"Calm down, Mei," he assures me, but it only infuriates me more. "His playing style…it's like the Little Giant's."

I don't really know what to make of that relation; it's simply terrifying to realize he's on that level of talent. He's quite a smart player, and he has the experience to develop his quick-thinking into actions that prove successful. I just need to outsmart him, but it won't be an easy task.

The points are going back and forth because Shoyo and this Nakashima guy are butting heads with their playing styles. They both are similar and therefore don't coexist well. It's going to pull away and grasp a lead, what with this pacing Wakunan's setting.

"You notice something?" whispers Ukai as they continue to play.

"I'm noticing a lot of things for sure," I mumble back. "You talking about their blocker on Shoyo?"

"Yeah. I think his strategy is to limit Hinata's spiking course so that it'll be easier for them to receive. Quite ingenious, I have to admit."

I roll my eyes at his compliment. "But it's annoying as hell."

"Hey, but you know who Wakunan doesn't have?"

I growl under my breath. Why does he keep talking to me? Doesn't he know I'm trying to concentrate on the game? "Who?" I say, gritting my teeth.

"A kingly ace." Tobio expertly sets the ball and it sails to a fiery-eyed Asahi. His spike slams to the floor and sends a broad grin to my face.

I sigh in relief. A two point lead…the first lead in the entire set. This is our chance to make a break, to take the set as well as the continuing momentum.

I watch as the ball is being hit back and forth, both sides doing well. It's a strangely long rally, maybe even the longest we've ever had.

Nakashima pulls another faultless wipe despite the three blockers but Daichi-san thankfully just barely receives it. Noya-san dives for it and it's up in the air.

"Get the last touch!" I screech. We can't lose this lead, we just can't. Not after we gained it.

I see Tanaka-san swooping in to get the last one. But much to my horror, Captain's up and going for it too. "Holy crap, no!" They smack straight into each other, but the ball scrapes the net and falls on the other side.

I widen my eyes, staring at the two bodies that lie on the ground. Tanaka-san sits up, confused. I rise to my feet to get a better look. Because Captain isn't moving.

 _Oh. uh. Yeah, great place to stop; I know. But that's where the episode ended so…look forward to the next chapter?_

 _And to the guest reader who posted that review since I suck and have no idea how to respond to reviews (lol): I understand what you mean about my character being a bit Mary Sue; I purposely made her so in order to make her appear more...desirable, I suppose, to the original Haikyuu characters. I just personally think they'd have pretty high standards for a girl and particularly as a volleyball player, I felt like it was just necessary._

 _And concerning her knowing everyone: their past just kind of played out like that. Originally, Bokuto wasn't going to important in the fan fiction, but I felt like she needed someone she could rely on that wasn't on the Karasuno team who wasn't interested in her. But I do thank you for your feedback; it's literally the first review ever haha_

 _Thanks for reading; hope you liked it! I'll try update the next one ASAP! xx_


	22. Chapter 21

21

 _The awaited chapter 21! Here it is, y'all! Hope you like it! (I sound a lot more peppy whenever I write these author notes than I'd actually say it lol)_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu, any of its characters, or its core plot. Just saying._

Mei POV:

 _Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills my mind  
I somehow find  
You and I collide  
-Collide _by Howie Days-

I stare at Daichi's lifeless body. No. No, no, no, no, no. This cannot be happening. Not now, not when we need him the most, not when the team needs him the most. He's our foundation, the person who knows exactly how to act and what to say. What the hell is a house supposed to so if it doesn't have a floor?!

It's like when you wake up and you swing yourself out of bed. You don't check to see if the floor is there for you to step on. You just know it's there and it's the one thing that holds you up, even when you don't even recognize it.

Everyone surrounds him, calling his name in hope he'll answer. I, on the other hand, am unconsciously clutching Ukai's hand, biting the inside of my cheek to prevent any expression of emotion from crossing my face. Please be okay.

Ukai releases my hand and makes a mad dash towards him. "Daichi! Where did you get hit!?" he shouts.

Just moving a slight centimeter causes a sensation of pain to shoot through his head and I can see him flinch. "My face…?"

Takeda-sensei follows him, approaching Daichi with a straightforward face. "Where are you right now?" he asks. Damn, if he loses his memory, I have no idea what we'll do.

"Sendai City…in the gymnasium…," Daichi answers carefully.

"Who are we playing?" continues Takeda-sensei.

"W-wakunan."

I breathe a sigh of relief, siding up Ukai. "I hate to say it, but I think you should go to the infirmary anyways," I mumble.

"I'm fine!" he protests. He looks utterly crushed at my words.

I pull him into a quick hug, resting my chin on his shoulder. "I just want to know you're okay. This team needs to have confidence in you and it won't do them good if they're worrying about your condition, okay?" I look him in the eye and though he falters slightly, he nods, rising to his feet.

Shimizu comes up, studying him. "There's blood…"

Daichi looks completely surprised and proceeds to wipe at the stained blood at the corner of his lips. His brows furrow together as he spits into his hand.

"Oh my god…" I stare at the white tooth in the large palm of his hand. "Shimizu, get him to the infirmary. NOW!"

It's Daichi's turn to console me. "I'll be fine," he assures me, though judging by the look on his face, I wouldn't be too sure. There's a chance he's not returning to the game and that's going to put the others in jeopardy, not to mention his volleyball career if he has a severe concussion. But I have no choice.

"Go…go already…"

"Captain!" I glance over my shoulder to see Tanaka-san staring at his feet, his front teeth grinding into his bottom lip. "I'm sorr-"

"Sorry, Tanaka," interrupts Daichi. God, this guy… "I saw you go in to cover but I just moved before thinking. It's my fault."

"Stop talking," I spit. I can feel their eyes on me, confused at my abrupt words. "Just go."

Giving me a weird look, he and Shimizu, along with Ukai, exit the gymnasium. Inhaling sharply, I clap my hands and turn to our now depressed-looking team. "Hey, chins up, guys. Chikara-san…" The black-haired male, #6, blinks his dark, mellow eyes at me, "you're up. You all are playing well and I know you guys will overcome this. Remember the number one rule? Play our volleyball. Not your own, but ours."

"Yeah!" they yell in unison.

 _Just you wait, Daichi. We're going to win this even before you come back. This one's for you, 'kay? So just sit tight._

Thank the lord we won that set. I had a mini heart attack literally every other minute.

I turn to Ukai, who has just returned at the finish of the set. "How's Daichi?" I ask immediately.

"He's fine. No worries of a concussion, at least," confirms he. "But he's bleeding a lot because he lost that tooth and it's gotta be pretty painful. There's a very small chance he'll be able to play the rest of the game."

I nod, though I'm disappointed we can't bring him back. Don't get me wrong, Chikara-san's doing an amazing job as his replacement, but it's just not the same.

Ukai pats my shoulder. For a moment, I just want to curl up in a ball and sigh. I know I'm overreacting, that I should have more faith in my team. But I can't help but wonder how long we will last without our foundation. How will we carry through? "Hey, don't lower your head too soon. We're going to win this if it kills us."

I let out a small chuckle. "But if we die, then how're supposed to face Shiratorizawa?"

"Good point. You think about that and I'll coach the game, okay? Take a break. You can go up there with Yachi if you want," suggests Ukai.

I shake my head at this. "No, I'm staying if it kills _me_." But judging by how the set's already playing out, I may not be the only one being killed. We'll just have to see which team who'll be at the stakes.

"Shouldn't you be…oh, I don't know, preparing for your next game?" I raise a brow at the male that strolls at my side, his muscular arm brushing against mine. We're taking a walk outside the gymnasium, around the back where a small park is located. "Y'know, the one against my team?"

Toru flashes a bright grin. "But it's more fun to be with you, Mei-chan," he chimes, so adorably I can't help but blush.

"Stop it…" I elbow his side, embarrassed. "By the way, well done against Date Tech. You had me worried for a second, what with their even stronger iron wall."

"Hmm? You thought I, the supreme Emperor of the Court, would lose?" he asks, a great sense of pride in his voice. But it's not something I can reprimand; he has all the right to brag, considering he's the captain of one of the few teams in the world to match up with Shiratorizawa.

"I don't think anyone actually calls you that. And I would never doubt you." I reach into my bag and produce two loaves of milk bread and cold tea, passing one each to the delighted volleyball player. "Just worried I wasn't going to be able to crush you if you lost."

Toru narrows his eyes, knitting his thin brows together. "Who said we were going to be crushed by you lot?"

"Me, darling," I reply, unaffected by his threatening tone.

"Don't get ahead of yourself just because you beat Johzenji and all those crappy teams. We're not on their level," says he as he takes a large bite of his bread.

"Neither are we." I take a turn down the paved road, aimlessly walking about without an idea where we are. "We'll just have to see who's better."

Sighing, he shakes his head but doesn't continue on the subject. A peaceful silence fills the air as we stroll, hand in hand. The cloudless sky is a vibrant blue that I can't help but stare at, and the sun is a nice warm today, like a cozy blanket. I wish we didn't have to go back inside for our game.

"Mei."

I pull myself gaze away from the sky to look at Toru. "Hmm?"

"Um…" He fumbles with his fingers nervously, to which I giggle at. He flashes a mildly annoyed look in my direction. I can't help it; he's adorable when he's embarrassed, which isn't very often for the prideful, faultless Oikawa Toru. "I'll just say it: what are we?"

I start, confused at first. But then I realize that he's talking about our relationship. And this, unfortunately, only leads to my embarrassment. I mean, how many people are comfortable with talking about their relationship just randomly in public? "Uh, I don't know…," I trail off. "Do you want to…date?"

We both tense at the last word. "I…yes." Toru frantically holds up a hand to stop me from speaking. "But we don't have to if you're not ready!"

"I-I don't know if I'm ready." My thoughts wander off to the corner of my mind that Kuro occupies. What would he think? I stop myself short. Wait a minute; this isn't about Kuro. This is about me and Toru. It's about how I feel, not Kuro. "I think I am."

Toru's eyes light up at this, meeting with mine.

I'm the one who moves first, standing on my tiptoes and connecting our lips. He's surprised but relaxes as he roughly shoves me to the wall of the building. He bites my bottom lip and I shiver, goosebumps forming up and down my arms. He pokes his tongue into my mouth and I allow him entrance. I can feel his fingers running up my hip, sliding underneath my shirt.

"Toru," I mumble into the kiss, pushing him away gently.

"What?"

I roll my eyes as I take his hand in mine. "Come on, we should go."

"What about Kuro?"

I stop dead in my tracks. "What about him?" I whisper.

"Aren't you two dating?" asks he. "I love you but I don't want to get in the middle of your relationship. I'm not that bad of a person."

I quickly shake my head, even though it feels like I'm trying to convince myself that it's okay more than I am convincing Toru. "He's-he's just a thing of the past."

"Does he feel that way?" presses Toru.

"I don't know. Now can we go?" I give a whimpering sigh, wishing he wouldn't talk about this because it'll just make my heart hurt even more for my best friend.

Though he rolls his eyes, he entwines our fingers and we begin to retrace our steps back to the gymnasium their game occurs at.

I lean my head on his shoulder briefly. "Now what was that about you loving me?" I tease.

"…nothing." He affectionately ruffles my hair but for once, instead of getting mad, I just laugh. Push away thoughts of Kuro. I mean…Kuro who?

 _I've finally caught up! Yay! I know it's a bit short, but I don't want to include too much of the episode because they feature a specific member of Karasuno's team that doesn't associate very much with Mei and her story. Therefore, I cut out a lot of the Wakunan game. I understand that it feels really choppy, but when I did include them, it felt too boring and lengthy._

 _Anyways, thanks for reading and I'll have today's episode's chapter up by tomorrow so that I can get a consistent Saturday/Sunday update schedule. See you soon! xx_


	23. Chapter 22

22

 _Um…over 4.2K views? 32 followers? 16 favorites? Um, insane much? Not even kidding: you don't know how excited I get just to see how many people have looked at my fan fiction at the end of the day. I have to refrain from squealing with joy or else my parents will think I've lost my mind or something. I think if we get over 5,000 reads then I'll post a Kuroko no Basuke fan fiction and see how you guys will like that. Or do you prefer oneshots? I never really know. Please comment what you want to read, even if literally no one does that._

 _Not trying to get all emotional, but I've put a lot of time and effort into this fan fiction; it's become like a piece of me. I think to myself: crap, I need to update! Like I don't do it just so that I can get more reads and followers (that's great and all but it's not everything) I do it because I do realize that people are taking their time and effort into reading this and some are actually enjoying it. And that's a good enough reason for me._

 _Okay, I don't want this author's note to get too long, considering it's at the freaking beginning of the chapter (stupid me). So, I'll get on with writing this…_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu, its characters, or its core plot. I only own Mei._

Mei POV:

"Mei? Mei!"

A firm hand on my shoulder shakes me awake from my endless daydreams to reality. I gaze upward slowly into the dark eyes of Tobio. "What's up, Ototo?"

He gives me a weird look that I've come to identify with as a look only associated with me. And possibly Toru. "Um, our match with Seijoh is starting?" Tobio tells me. "Why are you spacing out, now of all times?"

I simply shrug and wave him off to start warming up, to which he obliges, for once. I survey Seijoh's team, a less intimidating team in terms of appearance. Evidently, Toru is the one who makes the team shine, but nevertheless, I'll have to keep my eye on their ace, Iwaizumi Hajime. When we were in middle school, Toru clung to him like a koala to a tree. But he's a well-rounded volleyball player, as far as the rumors say, particularly known for one of the most powerful serves in the prefecture. He's going to be hard to deal, with a strong serving and spiking arm.

And then there's #16. I swear, I've seen him somewhere before. Kyotani Kentaro…I think Toru mentioned him earlier. There's just something about him…he has this unapproachable aura, like if you tried to talk to him, he'd bite your hand off. God, if looks could kill… But there's no doubt in my mind that he's going to be a troublesome wing spiker as well. I mean, look at his limbs. They're freaking huge, and in a muscular way. He's not even that tall, yet I feel so short just looking at him.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Tobio-chan? Still sad that you got defeated last time?"

I turn my head at the taunting, yet ever-familiar voice, only to roll my eyes at the sight.

Tobio, his hands on the volleyball, pulls with all of his strength as he shoots back, "Well, we're going to win today anyways, so it doesn't matter."

"I don't think so," replies Toru, releasing the ball and sending Tobio to the ground. "We're going to get you out of the way, Tobio-chan, so that we can defeat that bastard Ushiwaka." He mockingly cheers and laughs, much to the annoyance of my little brother.

"Hey, you two! Line up already!" I call over to them.

"Mei-chan!" "Mei!" Thankfully, Toru runs quickly over to his side of the court while Tobio heads back to stand beside Shoyo, not before shooting me the middle finger. Don't know why, considering I just saved him from further embarrassing himself in front of everyone.

As I mindlessly watch the two teams line up, I think about his question. He's right; I don't normally space out unless there's something preying in the corner of my mind or…I'm nervous. Am I nervous? Nervous about what? Nervous about facing Toru? Nervous that we'll lose? Wait, what if we do? That'd be even worse because it'd be the third-years last game. Oh my god, this is really important. Mei, what the hell are you doing, not even thinking?

"Don't start panicking now!"

"Oh, shut up, Ukai," I mutter, messing up my hair and then smoothing it out again.

"No, seriously. This is a really important game and they're going to need you alongside me to help guide them," he urges, a serious gleam in his eyes I instantaneously notice.

I nod silently, mildly ashamed for having a panic attack so unexpectedly. A bad move, indeed. Hopefully I won't make any more today.

The game begins and just as I thought, Toru's serving first. Holding the ball in his right palm, he winks at me just as he tosses it. The nerve of that guy… Undoubtedly, he soars into the air and sends the ball straight to the right corner.

Captain just barely receives it, the ball flying just across the net. Tobio thankfully takes the dump. _Hey, Toru. Bet you think we're screwed because Tobio took the first touch. But just take a good look at the newly-fledged Karasuno. Tell me what you think._ Noya-san jumps, setting the ball and our determined ace takes it, giving us the first point.

I grin at the sight of Toru furrowing his brows together. "You haven't seen anything yet."

Once, when I was around the age of six or seven, I was out in the backyard of my house with Ji-chan. Tobio, having lost rock-paper-scissors, had just left to go to the supermarket and buy the groceries for mum. While we waited for him, Ji-chan let me practice setting.

That warm, summer afternoon, as I set to the wall, he said to me, "Y'know, you're a really great setter. You could join a volleyball team when you get older."

"I suppose," I mumbled back, my eyes trained on the yellow-blue ball that tapped the pads of my fingers. "Though I don't know if I really want to be a setter."

"Huh? Why's that?" he asked, confused.

"I want to be a wing spiker," said I.

"A wing spiker? Well, you do know that being a lot of other people will want to be a wing spiker," Ji-chan tells me. "Why don't you play a position like setter, since you're so good at it?"

I didn't reply to him that day; I chose to ignore his question. I think the main reason was that I simply didn't have an answer for him. I was a simple-minded child; my decisions were solely based on desire, though I later found out that that wasn't the right path to walk on.

But now, I do know why I said that, even if I chose to become a setter in middle school. I think it's the same reason why Shoyo first wanted to be a spiker.

It's that glorious feeling that overcomes you when you face a solid wall and your spike gets through it. It doesn't have to break through the blockers' hands. The simple fact that it passed a wall and gave your team a point…every time that happens, you feel like you're on cloud nine, like you're crazy unstoppable, like you're standing on the very top of the world, the breeze caressing your hair, the sunlight shining upon your face.

And even though I'm not standing on the court right now, I felt that. I felt that the moment Shoyo's spike evaded Seijoh's blocker. The victorious feeling…it's the most irreplaceable thing you can imagine.

Shoyo's broad grin sends a similar one to my face. God, this kid…sometimes, you just want to hug him because he's so crazy yet he's so talented. He gives you hope like no one else can. Makes you think we have a good chance.

" _Ne_ , Mei, do you know him?"

"You mean #16? The guy they're switching in?" I ask.

Ukai nods, squinting at him carefully. "He's got this feeling…like he's going to just lash out and do something insane," he says, voicing my thoughts.

"Yeah, I know. Unpredictable volleyball players are the worst…" Why are they bringing him out when we're at set point? Is he going to bring back the set for them? 'Cause if he is, I fear for the guys on the court right now.

Seijoh has a chance ball and their libero receives Tanaka-san's spike with a set to Toru. Judging by his positioning, he's going to set to that Kindaichi guy of theirs, the one with the spiked hair. I watch as he sets the ball perfectly into the air and Kindaichi runs for-oh my gosh. Their intimidating #16, Kyotani-san, literally shoves him aside and rashly spikes it, leaving us stunned.

"What…the…hell…"

 _I feel like people are beginning to wonder this, even if they don't say so, but I understand there is technically only supposed to be on coach per team each match along with the teacher assistant or something; I'm well aware of that. But, for the sake of the plot line, I made an exception. Okay? Okay. (aye TFIOS reference)_

 _I know there are a bunch of time skips but I don't want to play out every single play and point because I feel like you'd get bored and I don't want it to carry on for so long, hence the fact this chapter is kind of short._

 _Haha, anyways thanks for reading! I'm trying to get a schedule of an update every Saturday when the new episode comes out, okay? See you soon! xx_


	24. Chapter 23

23

 _Um hey, guys? Who cares about damn Daniel and a stupid, dress-wannabe jacket? Because seriously, we should be caring about Troye Sivan's_ Youth _music video and John Stamos' flawless smile that's exactly the same from thirty years ago._

 _Oh, and I just realized that most aces on the volleyball teams are #4, but Asahi's #3 and Noya's #4…weird. Whatever._

 _Anyways, here's the next chapter! Hope you like it!_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu, any of its original characters, or the core plotline._

Mei POV:

 _When we're together  
Rain or stormy weather  
Calling now or never  
We are unstoppable  
-Unstoppable_

"What the bloody hell was that? God, I don't how I feel about winning that point…"

"Hey, don't complain," Ukai interjects. "It's on the coach for putting in such a rash guy. He has to know his place."

"He freaking shoved #12 to the ground!" I exclaim, louder than I expected. The subdued Kyotani-san shoots a death glare at me, sending shivers down my back.

Ukai shakes his head, his brows knit together with deep worry. "This isn't good…"

"Um, you think?" I say. My infuriation with both Ukai and this Kyotani guy is rapidly increasing. "Did you just see that cut shot? That angle…I almost want to rip his head off for being so damn good."

"He's more than just damn good. He's scarily good…and scarily unpredictable. I've never seen the guy in my life. But he's completely changing their attacking sense: they're forcefully aggressive."

I heave a sigh. "We have a great lot on our hands today…"

oooooooo

Confession? I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do with these guys. If it was just Toru, Iwaizumi, and the rest of them, I would've figured out their strategy and game play from watching previous matches and studying the previous set. But with Toru singlehandedly using this "Mad Dog" to the best of his abilities…what the hell am I supposed to do? His plays are bloody insane. Sure, half the time they fail…but it's the points they gain and the intense atmosphere they bring are what matters more.

And the pressure is on more than ever. I can see it in Tobio's eyes, the most frustration I've ever seen. Probably because it's Toru, someone he has looked up to since the beginning. I recall him saying something along the lines of him never matching up to Toru because Toru can bring out the best in people in the way no one else can. Guess you can call it an inferiority complex, though I'd never say that to his face.

" _Ne_ , Mei."

I pinch myself and return to reality. "Huh? What's up?"

"I'm switching Suga in."

"HAH?! You're joking right? Tobio's playing fi-"

"I'm switching out Tsukishima, baka," Ukai replies.

I frown. "What for?" I ask, suspicious. This isn't like Ukai; he isn't one for switching players unless in desperate measures. And heaven forbid it that we'll need to take desperate measures.

"If anyone can do the job, Suga can."

"There you go again, saying strange phrases that sound cool but no one actually understands." I sigh with a disapproving shake of my head.

"Very funny," scoffs Ukai, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Thanks."

Suga swaps in, taking the ball into his hands to serve. He tosses it into the air perfectly and that's when I realize his plan. Crap, why didn't I think of that? It's so plain and obvious; it's hardly a plan even.

I watch as the ball sails straight for Mad Dog, who barely receives it on time. Well, at least I can rest assured we'll get that point. Maybe it's not that Suga's brilliant; I'm just bloody idiotic and blind.

I watch as Daichi perfectly receives yet another spike and Suga-san moves to switch with Tobio. Oh? Someone's been thinking up some smart, new tactics.

Suga-san sets the ball straight for Tobio, who slams the ball to the ground.

"Damn. I felt that one right here," I mumble, putting my hand to my heart. These guys never fail to surprise me.

But Toru doesn't either.

Throughout the entire set, Toru's been using Mad Dog wisely. With his profound cut shots, extreme, bullet-like serves, and simple-minded aggression, he's a lion that can never be tamed, but always uses his abilities to the benefit of the team amidst the chaos of the set. Yes, he's useless without a supportive team like his but no matter how you look at it, he seems unstoppable.

But hey, don't count us out yet. We can win this set if we push it to our limits. Even if it hurts.

 _I found this chapter kind of anticlimactic and annoyingly short because it's just the game and I'm trying to pull Mei into different emotions as it continues. And if you ever tried illustrating a sports anime with words, it's a lot more difficult than you think. I mean, you've already seen what happens but how do you connect emotions to gameplay?_

 _But anyways, hope you liked it; I had fun writing it. Thanks for all the support. You guys always make my day by just reading this fan fiction. I'll be updating every Saturday/Sunday, depending on where you live and my schedule. xx_


	25. Chapter 24

24

 _I finally got around to writing another chapter for this fanfic. I can't believe season 2 is ending next week._

 _Do you know how bloody fast my heartrate was watching this week's episode? I was breathing so heavily just from watching it and I had to refrain from screaming or else my parents would think I'm insane. Oh my goodness. Like, I know what was going to happen and yet I still went crazy._

 _OH AND SEASON 3 IS COMING IN THE FALL. OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS PRAISE THE LORD._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters._

 _We're drifting apart  
You're riding away on a bicycle built for two  
This is breaking my heart  
I wish you would stay  
But she's taking my place  
And I'm losing you  
Losing You-Piper Curda_

"You exerted your knee way more than you needed to during the game," I sigh. "Now look at the mess you got yourself into."

"Shut up."

Shaking my head, I lace my fingers with his. " _Ne_ , _ne_ , let's go get crepes!" I suggest. "My treat."

Toru manages a small smile, though pain is written all over his face. "Thanks…Mei."

We walk out onto the sidewalk, heading for a famous bakery down the street. The sunset streaks its golden rays, the city lit up orange-yellow brilliantly. It's peaceful for once, a pleasant time to just walk hand in hand quietly.

We enter the quaint little bakery and the air fills with the indulgent, sweet aroma of desserts. This place sells everything: from layered tiramisu to sweet crème brûlée of flawless caramelization.

Seating Toru in a French-designed chair, I approach the girl at the front. "I'll have two vanilla crepes with all the works," I pronounce, slapping a thousand yen on the marble counter.

She flashes a pearly white grin, tucking a strand of golden blonde hair behind her ear. "Here's your change. Thank you for coming," says she, her voice light and musical.

I take the receipt and money before returning to my seat across from Toru. He doesn't say anything, focused on his phone. Even when we get our food, he only mumbles a short "thanks" before digging into the warm pastry.

Finally, I muster enough courage to ask, "Are you okay?"

He looks up from the sliced strawberry on his fork and his brow hardens. "Do I look okay?"

"I wasn't asking physically."

"I wasn't answering physically," he shoots back tartly.

I clench my jaw. This guy… "You don't have to act all sulkily just because you lost," I mumble.

"It was my last year, Mei! You don't understand that-that this is so important to me! Of course you wouldn't get the frustration of losing, over and over to him. And now Tobio…"

My decreasing pity dissipates and annoyance replaces it. "Oh, _I_ don't understand? I don't recall you being there for me when I lost nationals. Oh and remember that time that I got kicked off the team? You weren't there either!" I exclaim.

"The hell? Why are you angry? I'm the one who lost!"

"The hell? Why are you wallowing in your own pity? Sometimes, you're just so…so…"

Toru shoots me a taunting look. "Huh? Yeah, what am I?"

"You're such a child! You think that everything is about you, don't you? Well, sorry but you need to build a bridge and just freaking GET OVER IT!" I sit back in my seat, arms folded across my chest. "You never could keep it in; you just always had to tell someone about your problems and expect them to fix them for you."

"Is that a problem? You're the one who never expresses how you feel and that's why we got into arguments like this!" he cries.

"You think it's easy to tell someone, who acts like his life is full of issues, that they're having their own problems? Yeah, I'd like to see you do that."

He doesn't reply. There. There, Toru. I said it. That was one of the reasons why I didn't want to get back together when I got kicked off the team: I didn't want to listen to your bloody problems and have to keep mine in the closet. He never listened, while Kuro was always willing to sit down and give me advice.

Sheesh, now he has me comparing him with Kuro. Great. Just what I needed.

"Um, excuse me?"

I turn from the window. At the side of our table stands the girl from the counter, now wearing normal clothes instead of a pink apron and a worker's nametag.

"Can we help you?" I ask.

Her almond-shaped, blue eyes flicker to Toru. Of course.

"Sakura-chan," whispers Toru. They know each other? "What are you doing here?"

"My parents own this place," so-called Sakura-chan explains, giggling. "Oh, I'm Ishikawa Sakura, by the way. You're Mei-chan, right?"

I flinch. "Um…yeah. How do you know that?"

"Um, you're famous." She laughs a tingly, bell-like laugh. "Volleyball's pretty huge at my school. I go to Shiratorizawa."

I note Toru's immediate tensing at the name of her school. "That's cool. How do you know Toru here?"

"Oh, we used to go out when we were first and second years in middle school." Before me. Dammit, she's too nice for me to hate her. "Do you mind if I talk to Toru alone?"

I hesitate. What would she have to say to him that she can't say in front of me…oh, I don't know-probably a freaking confession! But I can't just say no… "Be my guest," I say with a small gesture of my hand.

She smiles again-oh, God, she's one of those kinds of people who smile at every little thing. "Thanks! We'll be right back." Practically dragging Toru, she exits the bakery.

I sigh. What the hell am I doing? Am I just loosely dating Toru again, like I did when I was an insolent, self-absorbed middleschooler? I don't even know. It's so difficult to maintain a decent relationship for me…

But I love Toru. I knew it the moment I saw him play. He's the North Star in my sky, the one that shines the brightest amongst others. We became official just today and now…now he's slipping from my grasp again, losing himself to volleyball and frivolous girls once again. And I'm the only one who can stop that from happening.

I clear the table, quickly dumping the remains of our barely-touched meal into the trash. I snatch my phone and burst out of the bakery, quickly avoiding the two middle school girls entering.

I look for them frantically, searching the streets. Where are you…where are you? I miss your hand in mine. Tell me your problems; I don't care anymore. I just want to see you, even if you were with me just ten minutes ago. Let's not fight anymore. Just hug me and kiss me, make up with me. I don't care…I don't care…as long as you're mine.

I take a sharp left.

Oh.

Toru's eyes blink open, revealing his gentle brown orbs that I wish I didn't look at. "Mei."

"You're a jerk," I whisper. I can feel the rush of tears. "I didn't think you'd be that quick to cheat on me…I mean, we got together just today."

"Hey, I-"

"Stop right there," I cut him off. The wet tears, much against my will, drip in slivers of rivers down my cheeks. But my hands, now in fists, won't undo to wipe them away. "I was right. I shouldn't have decided to get back together with you. You really are the same."

"'A sadistic monster hidden behind a charming smile and a fake attitude,'" he quotes.

I give a short nod. "That's right. But I'll add vain and careless to the list as well. Just remember, _Oikawa-san_ , you lost to _my_ team." I turn on my heel and walk away stately.

 _Forget you._

 _Forget you, Toru._

 _Forget you and your sadistic volleyball playing._

 _Forget your paper-ness, your see-through personality._

 _Forget you and your problematic life that only involves which cute girl to choose and what to eat for dinner._

 _Forget you._

 _Forget you._

I keep repeating the words in my head. Over and over and over. But I can't his image out of my mind.

OOOOO

His hand rubs my back comfortingly. "I'm done with guys," I tell him.

"You don't mean that," Kuro says.

"I do."

"Wish I heard that one at the altar."

"Stop making jokes!" I cry. I snatch one of the pillows on my bed and throw it at his face. "That isn't funny!"

"Sorry," he mumbles back.

I shake my head. There are ice cream tubs spread on the floor of my bedroom and half-heartedly crumpled tissues littering the throw blanket. "I'm done. This is stupid. I don't know why I'm crying over this guy." I walk over to my closet and snatch a fur coat.

"Where are you going?"

I turn from the doorway. "To find my dignity."

 _Well, crap chapter, I know. It's short and I don't really know where this plotline is going right now. But I tried? haha idek._

 _Oh, and Sakura isn't the new OC, if you were wondering. The new OC, who will come in probably the next chapter or the following, will not be a love interest, if you were wondering also._

 _Hope you liked this chapter and if you think it's crap, let me know. If people actually tell me, then I'll actually redo it, okay? Thanks!_

 _I'll be updating every Saturday/Sunday now, for both this fanfic and_ Piece by Piece. _xx_


	26. POLL!

Hi, everyone!

I was beginning the next chapter and felt like this fanfic could go so many ways in terms of storyline. There could even be a sequel ?

So I want to know what you guys think! Send me a private message or simply comment down who you think should end up with Mei. You never know what I'll do ;)

Options:

-Kuro

-Tsukishima

-Oikawa

-Bokuto (if you want lol)

Thanks and see you next week! xx


	27. Chapter 25

25

 _Well, literally two people out of like 25 replied to that poll, so thank you for that. You know who you are. ;) and so, I'm going to do what_ I _want for this story, because no one answers me. (literally story of my life; I do not blame you one bit lol) unless you want to answer the poll still. If you do, check out the chapter before to know the options and how to contact me._

 _So, here's the deal: I'm pretty sure you all know that Haikyuu season 2 has ended following the Aoba Jousai game and before the Shiratorizawa match. I know, worst cliffhanger for those who haven't read the manga. And so I have no storyline to go along right now._

 _I've decided to end this fanfic in a few chapters. It sucks to have to do that, but I do have a sequel in mind for when season 3 rolls around fall._

 _Enjoy these closing few, as in like two or three, chapters! (oh and don't forget to check out_ Piece by Piece; _it already has 5 follows, 2 favorites, and like over 200 views for just four crappy chapters. So thank you those who read it!)_

 _Note: can you believe we've actually been through 25 chapters of this fanfic? Like I don't even remember half of them lol. It's SO hard to go back and look for a specific occurrence…_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or its characters._

Mei POV (obviously):

 _In the night, I hear them talk the coldest story ever told  
Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul  
To a woman so heartless  
How could you be so heartless?  
Oh, how could you be so heartless?  
Heartless-Kanye West_

I heavily inhale and exhale, the biting night air so cold, I can see my own breath. What the hell am I doing here? I bend over, placing my hands on my knees to wait till my breathing evens. I'm such an idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid. What was I expecting, that he'd be out here just waiting for me or something? I clearly lack instinctive and emotional control.

I place my hands in my warm sweatshirt pocket and begin to aimlessly amble down the dimly-lit street. I smile slightly at a short girl being tugged by the leash of her adorable, long-haired Yorkie and she returns it.

In spite of the unexpectedly freezing weather, it's quite nice out. The stars of galaxies far away twinkle happily. How stars can be happy, I haven't the least clue, but I like the idea of it. Don't you? If only the sky was this clear every night; I'd be out here forever. But to be honest, when was the last time I took a decent look at the sky? Weeks ago during that training camp?

Something jingles in my pocket as I lighten and quicken my step. My fingers find a single key. Its metallic bronze color shines in the yellow light of the street lamps, and an idea pops in my mind. I break into a swift sprint down the familiar road, going as fast as my short but lean legs can carry me.

I come to a full stop right in front of Ukai's shop, which is strangely still open. I whip out my dying cell and type at the speed of lightning, or what I presume to be so.

"Loitering is prohibited in this area at this hour, ma'am."

"Shut the hell up, Ukai," I retort.

"Wow, you're really funny. Where'd you get that one?" he shoots back, even though the expression on his face shows that he's just poking fun at me. "Mind telling me what you're doing here at half past 9, the night before the finals?"

"Surprisingly enough, I actually have problems. And what do I do when I have problems that go unsolved?"

Ukai heaves an annoyed sigh. "Do you seriously have to get our players involved though? They need their rest."

"Well, it'll have to wait. Who else is going to toss for me?"

"Couldn't you just set by yourself?" he pleads.

"I can't set at a time like this! I need to fucking spike! Spike right into his shitty, bratty little face!" I cry.

"Alright, alright, quit flapping your swearing tongue. It's indecent for a mere girl like you," he says, waving his hand. But I'm too tired to fire back a feministic remark. "Who'd you call up?"

I relax against the wall of the store, phone still in hand. "Yamaguchi, Noya-san, Tobio, and Tsukki. Someone to serve, receive, set, and block." An urgent vibration calls for my attention. "Looks like they're on their way. See ya later, Ukai."

He throws a bottle of cold water at me. "Don't stay up too late!" he calls as I run off with it.

"Yes, Mom!"

"Don't call me that, you little-"

OOOOOOO

"Go to hell!" I screech at the top of my lungs. My aching arm swinging down, I slam the volleyball to the ground and it ricochets off the floor with a booming sound. My body is burning with exhaustion at this point and no doubt the others are feeling the same way. But I can't stop. I'm fuming with anger. I can't stop. I can't stop. I can't stop. "I'm sorry, guys. You should really get going home and get some rest. I'll clean up."

Noya-san sends a worried look in my direction. "There's clearly something wrong or you wouldn't have called us here so randomly. Will you tell us?"

I can feel Tobio's glacial glower on me. "Toru," I whisper faintly.

"Huh?" asks Yamaguchi.

"Oikawa Toru," explains Tobio stiffly. "They used to date. They got back together…and then broke up again."

"I keep saying I should forget him, that he isn't worth it. But my heart won't listen to my head. I'm so stupid; I hate myself." I shake my head. "Just go. This is just my pity party of me wallowing in humiliation and helpless yearning."

"Hey, let's go beat him!" Noya-san suggests.

"I don't think so…," says Yamaguchi.

I sharply inhale "God, what am I doing? I told myself to find my dignity and I think I will. It's time to move forward instead of living in the past, right?"

"Yes, yes!" Noya-san sets a ball gently. "You're a strong woman!"

Laughing, I hug him then Yamaguchi, then Tobio. "Thank you. I needed that. I'll see you all tomorrow, okay?"

With a confirming nod and grin, Noya-san exits the gym, followed by a hesitant Yamaguchi and indifferent Tobio.

I hum to myself as I put away the volleyball net and collect all the volleyballs that scatter around the gymnasium. I take a short glance at the clock on the wall, silently ticking away. _10:38._ I should hurry up before Ji-chan notices that I left without saying anything. I quickly stash the volleyballs in their proper place before flicking off the lights and dashing out the door.

"You're actually breaking down inside, aren't you?"

I crease my brow. "Who are you to say that?"

Tsukki's countenance remains unreadable behind the reflection of his glasses and prideful gaze. "It's simply an observation. Those three are just dense enough to overlook it," he replies confidently.

"Well, I don't really want to hear any more opinions, especially from you," I answer, twirling the key to the gym on my index finger absentmindedly.

"I wasn't asking if I could give you my opinion."

"What are you doing here? Are you just here to make me feel worse about myself? God, you are a cold-hearted man like all the rumors say." I turn away, feeling aggravatingly cross. "Can you go away?"

"I can't."

"Because you live to ruthlessly mock me." I glare at him, staring pointedly into his eyes. "Because you hate me…and I don't even bloody know what I did to you. Everyone's like that in this world, aren't they? Everyone just lives for themselves. You should know. You don't live for anyone but yourself. Even though Yamaguchi cares about you, you probably don't care."

"Who are you to say that?" he repeats.

I roll my eyes. "I'm digging my own grave, aren't I?"

"If you opened your eyes…then you'd realize that I'm not heartless."

I scoff, "You'll have to try a bit harder to get me to open my eyes, Tsukki."

"I think you're the one who's heartless," he tells me.

Hmm? "Pray, do tell me why."

"You have all these guys head over heels in love with you and because you're indecisive, you can't choose, can you? I know you're hesitating between Oikawa-san and Kuro-san."

I pick up a stick that lies at my feet. I point it straight at his face, its sharp tip so close to his face I could prick him with a flick of my wrist. "Stop acting like you know everything about me. And please, no one's head over heels in love with me. They don't know what love is. _I_ don't know what love is," I say in a low voice.

"No one?"

"No one."

"What about me?"

I lower my arm slowly. "What about you?"

"…I'm head over heels in love with you."

I turn on my heel. He stands there, brow just barely furrowed and gaze steady. His hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. "You don't know what love is either."

"Aren't we being a bit judgmental?" Tsukki asks.

"Who isn't?" I mentally sigh. "I suppose you don't want an answer?"

He cracks his first smile of the night. His pearly whites shine in the hazy light. "First thing you got right."

I begin to walk home. But I pause just as I pass the gym. "Tsukki. This won't affect tomorrow, will it?"

He laughs. It's the second time I've ever heard him laugh…ever. "Unfortunately," he says, "I'm not your little brother. I don't need a scolding for something so simple."

I smirk. "I never have to worry about you, huh." We part ways, he down one street and I in the opposite.

 _I think I just chose the wrong way._

 _But…I don't think there is a wrong way. Is that weird? Everyone believes that there is a right way, the way that makes you successful, and a wrong way, the way that makes you unhappy and regretful._

 _I don't think regret is avoidable. Actually, it's quite inevitable, when you think about it. It's not like you know whether or not the choice is right. But the important thing is to know if the choice makes you happy or not. Because then what's the point of living? My philosophy is to not live by doing the right thing, but by doing what I think is making me happy, what makes me get out of bed in the morning and continue breathing. Screw the future. Screw it. I'd rather be living on the streets and playing with my puppy, Mimi, than spend my days counting money and forgetting how to smile._

OOO

 _Don't worry; Kuro and Oikawa are coming. This isn't the last chapter!_

 _Hope you really enjoyed reading this. I wish more people would comment. Not for the number, but because I really want to know what you think. I really want to know if someone actually liked it when they took the time to read it, whether it was worth their time or not. I mean, you don't have to, but everyone likes a little appreciation, you know? I try my best to comment on all the fanfics I read too. This is a community and a safe haven for people like you and me, not a competition._

 _Sorry, that was weird. My mom would say, "Wow, what a preacher." Oh, and thank you for 6K+ views! It means a lot to me!_

 _Okay, see you next week!_

 _Much love, animeflufflife xx_


	28. Chapter 26

26

 _I'm posting this early because I was just super excited to get this out! It's short, but kinda important?_

Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters.

Mei POV:

 _We can run away  
We can take flight  
We don't need a reason  
We can ride all night  
Don't worry, the world won't break down  
Don't worry, just make your escape  
We can disappear  
Fade into the starlight  
Never looking back  
Somehow it's alright  
Don't worry, I don't care what they  
We can run away  
Run Away-Anthem Lights_

Wiping a fresh towel across my forehead, I slip into some pajamas and kick aside the clothes I stripped of. Damn, my head hurts like hell… "It was one heck of a day, wasn't it, Mimi?" I coo, stroking the silky fur of my golden retriever. "Wow, I can tell Ji-chan's been slipping you come of his dinner, hasn't he? Look at your big belly now!"

Mimi nuzzles her head on my lap in reply. I laugh and affectionately rub her head, causing her to make a calm noise I can't really describe. But as long as she sounds happy and healthy, I suppose I shouldn't really care.

I flick off my lights, as it's well past midnight and I really should be getting some rest for tomorrow. I even forgot to ask what time we're supposed to meet….hopefully it'll be a bit later since it's the finals and the third/fourth places have to be decided too. I slump onto my bed, rearranging the blankets and making floor space for Mimi to sleep at its foot. Sticking in my earbuds, I lie on the comforter and focus on the soothing classical music. What? Judge me if you will, but classical music is very calming and actually helps you sleep.

But in minutes, my eyelids pop open once again. I can't seem to concentrate. Tsukki keeps reoccurring in my mind. But seriously? He was the last person I would expect to confess to me. I can't believe-this is just so weird…so unreal. In all honest, I assumed he hated me and just stuck it out because I was his coach and he had no choice but to listen to me. How he developed such feelings for me after always trading our usual sarcastic, mocking taunts-I have no idea.

Of course, I can't accept his confession. I could never do that to him-and myself. That's the last thing I would ever do: betray my own feelings.

We all know how that ends.

I shift onto my back and look up. Colorful glow-in-the-dark stars dot the span of the ceiling, shining with all they have. My favorite's the little blue on in the corner. It always had been. Ji-chan even allowed me to put it up there, even though this room used to be only a storage room no one used. But then Tobio yelled at me because I put in a spot where it's isolated from all the other stars.

Everyone doesn't want to be that star, the one separated from the others. But I wish I'd be there sometimes. Wouldn't it be nice to just be far, far away from people you used to care about? Wouldn't it be nice to be independent, forever alone, but forever happy? No worries about the past, different love interests, and stupid volleyball teams? Far, far away, away, away from here.

OOO

 _Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Tap._

"Bloody hell," I mutter. If it's that bushy-tailed squirrel again with his little acorns, I'm going to scream. I glance over at the clock on the wall. _3:24_. I roll over and face the wall, but the tapping proves persistent.

Heaving a groan, I get to my feet, wrapping myself in a blanket to protect my bare skin from the cold. Well, it's a bit stuffy anyways. A little fresh air wouldn't hurt. On my way to the window, I nearly trip. Mimi stirs, her brown eyes blinking at me.

"Aw, poor dear." I quickly scratch her back. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you up."

With something that looks like a shrug, she turns away, returning to slumber. I hold back a chuckle before finishing my walk to the window and pushing it open. It's on the sticky side but I jam it open after much vain attempt.

"Finally!" cries someone. "It's pretty damn cold out here."

I look straight down. "Kuro?!" I exclaim before I can stop myself.

"Shh," he hisses, "your Ji-chan will hear you, stupid."

"What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Didn't you get my text?"

My gaze flickers to my completely dead phone on my polished dresser. "My phone died on me and I forgot to charge it."

"Figures."

"You mind hurrying this up? Remember? I have finals?" I urge him, my patience wearing thin.

"Run away with me."

I raise my brow. "Excuse me?" Did I hear him right?

Even from a great distance, I can see the annoyance in his expression. "Run away with me. You know, leave Japan, screw volleyball."

…You would think I would jump at this chance. _I_ thought I would jump at this chance. But, I don't feel happy when I hear his words. "You know I can't, Kuro," I say.

"Why not? I mean, you're not with Oikawa and when Karasuno's through with finals, their future is set," Kuro pushes.

"But that doesn't mean I don't have people I care about here!"

"Look, just think about it. It doesn't have to be today, okay?"

I lean against the window sill to look carefully at the boy-no, man before me. Unlike a certain somebody, he really has changed. Volleyball changed him. He's no longer a playful cat, doing as he pleases; he's becoming a full-grown panther. Well, I suppose he still does what he wants, but still. "Are you proposing to me or something?" I joke, laughing.

"Maybe I am." He gets on one knee, much to my amusement. "Will you, Kageyama Mei, run away with me and leave this sick world of trouble?"

"We'll see, Kuro Tetsuro," I reply.

"You know what, Mei?" Kuro gets back on his two feet, his chin upturned so he can look directly at me.

I tilt my head to the side. "What, Kuro?"

"I think you're a masochist."

"I think you're a sadist."

He waves it off indifferently with his right hand. "Everyone knows that, silly. All volleyball teams have a sadist."

"Well, all volleyball teams have a masochist as well. Tell me why I'm a masochist. I'm very interested."

Kuro rolls his eyes. "I think you secretly enjoy being surrounded by all these problems, hmm?"

"Kuro," I say with a sigh, "I was happier when you told me to run away with you. And now, I'm just going to go back to bed." With that, I slam shut the window, much to the surprise of the alarmed Mimi. The large dog runs over to me and I caress her head. "Shh, it's okay, girl."

What a liar I am. It's never okay, is it? There's always something up.

…damn, not only am I a masochist, I'm also a pessimist. I might have to take up Kuro on that offer. That's the closest I can get to killing myself.

What am I even saying? I must be delusional due to lack of sleep. Hopefully I'll be better in five hours.

But that's just hope.

 _Short chapter, I know. But there's one more to go! I have it written already, so if you want it sooner than let me know! If not, then I'll just post it next Saturday/Sunday-ish._

 _Much love, animeflufflife xx_


	29. Chapter 27

27

 _Last chapter! omg how did this happen? where did all that time go? –prepare for super emotional, lengthy author's note at the end of this_

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu or any of its characters._

Mei POV (no, really?)

 _We didn't do anything wrong.  
We didn't fail  
Nor we lied  
And although at that time we did our best  
The memories, the thoughts  
Time has changed it all  
Promises to tears…  
Vows to wounds…  
A dear person into a wonderful memory…  
Inside the eternity  
We Were There (Bokura ga Ita)_

Chestnut brown tufts of hair that stick out in bedhead fashion.

Crinkles at the edges of wide, sparkling eyes.

A flawless smile, the ends of smooth, pink lips upturned and blindingly white teeth that never needed braces.

He stands next to a girl of short stature. Next to him, she's quite ordinary: straight, unwashed hair, freckle-dotted and acne-marred skin, an awkward, non-photogenic expression. The only part of her that stands out is the red and white, freshly ironed volleyball uniform that she adorns.

Anyone would say they didn't suit each other. In actuality, _everyone_ said so. I told it to myself every day, in utter disbelief I made it through another day with him.

The picture was taken right before I left our city at the airport. Even though we (or I) broke our relationship off, Toru still came to see me off.

That day, I never looked him in the eye. I think we both knew it would never be the same, even though we said so. Innocence fades and maturity replaces it and the simple school romance we had.

I didn't have to leave.

He didn't have to tell me to leave.

We could've made a different future.

But we didn't.

"What if we had stopped there or if we'd turned the corner…what if we hadn't stumbled over pebbles or ever gotten lost? What if we'd never stopped…what if back then…what if…what if…?"

I returned to Japan discovering that I couldn't rewrite my past. It's written down in the book in ink and can't be erased no matter hard I ever tried.

 _Then I guess I'll have to write the future._

I glance at my phone, still plugged in and charging. I can probably make it back home with enough time to change and get ready for the finals, whenever that is.

I pull myself out of bed and sit at my desk. With a desk lamp on low, I take a sheet of writing paper and a pen in my hand. Well, here goes nothing.

 _Toru…no, dear Toru,_

 _I don't know what inspired me to write this. It's not like I got over you in less than a day. But I have been doing a lot of thinking. And other people have been giving me advice._

 _But…I haven't been doing anything with it_.

I fold the paper unevenly and burst out the door, being careful when passing Ji-chan's room. I slip out of the house into the chilly, crisp air. Morning fog clouds much of my vision, but I know exactly where to go.

 _I've been sitting around, expecting people to come and…just follow my every command, per se. I toyed with Kuro's feelings by letting him chase me around when I knew I felt nothing for him. When I was hurt, I would turn to Tobio and Tsukki; but any other time, I wouldn't even glance at them. More likely I ridiculed them._

 _In a way…I could say I'm no better than you. I myself am a sadistic monster. Except I don't do a very good job of hiding it, do I? More like a sadistic monster who doesn't know how to express hers feelings very well, huh?_

I round the corner, nearly smacking straight into a little old lady pushing a metal cart. My limbs are burn like they're on fire, screaming for me to pull to a stop and rest. But we all know our hearts never bother to listen to our bodies and minds. And so, I keep going, keep taking each step that closes the distance between us.

 _But I figured my feelings out. I have for a while, but I never really had it in me to actually tell you. Pride and fear do that to a shallow person like me. You probably don't return these stupid emotions, and I don't blame you at all. I'm surprised you stayed with me so long. Everyone said that we didn't suit each other…I myself said so, because you were this bright, unreachable star in the sky and I was the one casted to the side, barely even glowing. And let's be honest, who on earth would want to date such a flighty, self-absorbed idiot who was just a plain, ugly girl like me? But I think you deserve to know how I feel, after this rollercoaster we've been riding for so long._

 _Dammit all, you drive me crazy. I admit it. You have everything I didn't when I was a volleyball captain: you make your team shine when all seems to be futile. You uplift everyone's spirits when they're down. You can control yourself on the court by being able to pull off beautiful plays and bring out the potential of others even during the most crucial and frustrating times. And well, you also have a killer jump serve that I can only dream of doing in a lifetime. I hate the fact that I admire you so much._

I pause at a fork. Is it left or right? Both roads look far too similar for comfort. Going with my gut, I pull a left and burst through a group of morning joggers, mumbling my apologies.

 _But you also changed me. You kept me going when I didn't make the national team and wanted to give up on volleyball forever, something I never thought I'd even consider. You supported me when I actually got accepted and had to leave. And throughout my time with them, all I had to do was remember you were waiting and cheering me on back home…then everything would be better. When I got back…well, that was strange time, wasn't it? I was the one faltering in my feelings when you did nothing wrong to me. I made assumptions that I regret, and I apologize greatly for that._

 _If you made it this far in this strange letter…I just want you to know that I wish you all the best. I'm not asking that we get back together, because I don't think either of us is ready for that. And we may never be. But I wanted you to know that I hope you'll go on to play volleyball even if you go to uni. That you'll keep showing you and your volleyball to the world, no matter what anyone else ever says. That I treasure the past and I hope you can make a future that you treasure yourself. Because that's what I fell for: the Toru who played the sport that he loved with all his heart. I'm who I am because of you. So please don't let me forget him. Please don't let me forget that shining star._

Huffing and puffing, I stop in front of a house. I place the envelope in the mailbox, trying to hold my breath so no one will wake up. With a quiet creak, the metal box shuts and I run away.

 _I love you._

 _~Mei-chan_

OOO

 _Damn, that was an emotional rollercoaster, just writing all that. I intended for Mei to end up with Oikawa, but I felt this would be a better closer for this fanfic and something that'll help you look forward to this fall. :)_

 _Anyways, here comes the emotional author's note so if you don't want to hear my crap, please skip this._

 _Wow. Just wow. I can't believe that it's 27 (technically 28, including the introduction) chapters from day one. Seriously, just today, I was looking at the stats and I was just in total shock. The fact that hundreds of people from all over the world have taken the time to read this fanfiction just blows my mind. When I wrote the introduction to this, I never would have thought that so many people would actually enjoy this hobby of mine._

 _Writing is such a huge part of my life: it is my life, actually. It's my safe haven when I hate my life, when I hate myself. I actually got into a really huge argument with my mom last night because she felt that I wasn't spending enough time with her and my father, that I was on my computer all the time and that I didn't care about them. And I straight up told her that I wrote these fanfics and that they were my life._

 _You can't imagine how proud I was of this, this work. It's all I have and I know I'm being such hormonal crap right now so again, don't bother reading this if you don't give a crap, but seriously. I've struggled daily with this inferior complex that won't go away, and it may never. But this part of my life online helps me so much and I just want to thank you for reading this and being a part of my life through this fanfiction._

 _It might've seemed like something so small, but it was actually so much more to me._

 _Okay, well, I'm done with that crap. I honestly don't care if you hate me because I'm such emotional, hormonal crap because it's how I feel. I'll tell you over and over in every chapter if I want to and if you hate it, just go away then. Why are you even reading this then? I don't need your negativity here because I have plenty of that in my life already._

 _Sorry, I just need to be defensive online because it helps me remind myself that I'm stronger than a hater._

 _Anyways, thank you so much for reading, whether it was just one chapter or the entire thing. I can't wait to see what season 3 of Haikyuu brings for Mei and her insane love life, and I hope you'll come back to see it yourself. See you soon!_

 _Much love, animeflufflife xx_


	30. Unspoken: A Haikyuu Fanfiction

hey, everyone

i know, i've been inactive af because school finished some time ago and i went to New York for vacation AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOMETHING NEW! i felt that haikyuu fanfics are my roots, so i'm going for it: another haikyuu fanfic! it's called Unspoken and features a very complicated character who took a long time to develop. yes, she has a volleyball background but i want to focus on her as a person and her relationships with other people instead of volleyball (since season three doesn't come out till autumn, it'll take place during a non-tournament season)

and you're probably thinking, "great. another fanfic that will probably go unfinished." and maybe so, i can't predict the future. but i am putting my everything into the plot and characters (btw Mei is in it too! lol she just needs a cameo y'know?). I REALLY WANT THIS FANFIC TO WORK OUT AND IM SO SCARED I'LL GET TIRED OF IT AND JUST DROP IT LIKE SOME LAZYASS PERSON. so your encouragement means everything to me.

due to its ties with this fanfiction and its time period,, for now, it'll be only a few chapters of a sneak peek until the sequel of Surrounded is released. idk if you understand what i just said, but basically I will release a few chapters of Unspoken and wait until season three of Haikyuu comes out. I'll write the sequel to Surrounded based off of that, and then return to Unspoken.

will i continue one-shots? it hasn't been very big so i plan on keeping it up, but not putting it as my main focus.

crap, thank you for your patience with me. honestly, i don't deserve readers because i am terrible at keeping a schedule but (DRAKE REFERENCE) if you're reading this, thank you.

sappy as ever, but much love as ever, animeflufflife xx


	31. our one-year anniversary!

_Wow. It's the one-year anniversary of Surrounded. Thank you everyone for all your support; I look back at the me a year ago and see how much has changed, in both my personal life and my life as a writer. This fanfic gave me something to look forward to after a painful day of school. And God, it was such a relief to let my anger out through a character lol._

 _I don't want to get all sappy so here's a feel-good, short OVA with Mei in it. It's kinda crappy but it made me happy writing it so idgaf._

Mei POV:

"I have an announcement to make, guys!" Captain calls us all to gather together, an expression on his face that can mean only one thing. "We're going on a trip!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yes! I've been waiting to go somewhere for forever!"

Instantly, excitement bubbles amongst our group, everyone bent on having the most extravagant, insane trip ever.

"Where exactly are we going?" asks Yamaguchi, always wary.

"America!"

All noise dies down. "America?"

"Why are going there? I thought we'd go to somewhere...y'know, fun? Like a weekend at Okinawa Island, or go to the temples in Kyoto, or hike somewhere near Mount Fuji," someone complains.

"Because there are prestigious colleges with high-ranking volleyball players," explains Suga. "We're going there to observe their plays and skills. Basically what America has that we don't."

"...are we going to go somewhere interesting?"

"We'll see," I assure them. "Depends if you all behave well."

They all click their tongues and groan, clearly not up for the idea of having to behave in order to do the things they want to do.

Rolling my eyes at their lack of enthusiasm upon the huge, and pricey news, I puff at my whistle, which squeaks sharply. "Hitting lines, go, go, go!"

OOO

"So...this is America," Asahi comments.

"It's a bit...underwhelming, don't you think?" Tobio looks around, cars of various model, size, and color swiftly zooming past us as we wait for the vans to pick us up. Apparently, the principal of our school has close connections here with some high-ranking people in the Bay Area of California.

"Yeah, but California's known to have some of the best colleges in the world," Ukai informs us. "Stanford, CAL, UCLA, USC: it's California."

"Looks like someone did their homework," snickers Tanaka.

"We all know you didn't. How are you even here, you're so behind on school work?" Tsukki points out and Tanaka grabs onto the collar of his shirt aggressively.

I flag a trio of white vans and they pull over to the curb. I swing open the back doors and start tossing luggages...on my own. "A bunch of men you lot turned out to be," I spit sarcastically. "Just leave it to the girl to do all the heavy-lifting while y'all sit back and watch."

Someone comes to my side and puts in a blue hardshell suitcase and a duffel bag.

"Finally, someone helping out!" I look l over.

Tsukki looks confused. "Huh? I was just putting in my own stuff. I'm not gonna do those slackers' work! You trying to kid me?" With that, he jumps into the van. Yamaguchi follows in suit, after stuffing his suitcase beside his friend's belongings.

Thankfully, the lovely third-years (they are seriously the sweetest ever) help me load all three of the vans and everyone's eventually ready to head to the hotel.

It doesn't take too long for us to arrive at where we're staying. I tip all of the drivers before we head inside. "It's like I'm taking care of 12 five year old kids," I mutter to Kiyoko, who sends a sincerely sympathetic smile to me. "One spills a drink on the plane; who cleans it up? Me! One has airplane sickness; who has all the stomach medicine? Me! One has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the car ride; who has to find a rest stop with a bathroom? Me!"

"You're doing great, Mei-san." Yachi places a reassuring hand on my arm. "You just have to take a deep breath and cool down."

"I'm fine. It's just a long day and I couldn't sleep on the freaking plane because the fat old man next to me was snoring like there's no tomorrow!" Then again, maybe there will be no tomorrow for the poor guy; his breathing was on the ragged side.

"I wanna see the bridge!" pronounces Noya decidedly. "Who's with me?"

A chorus of "me's" and "nah's" amalgamate into a messy, disruptive chatter among the group.

I blow at my whistle twice and everyone goes quiet.

"Hey, you can't use that; we aren't on the court!" Shoyo exclaims.

"I can use it when I want, thank you very much, Short Stuff. Anyways, would you take a look at yourselves? You've embarrassed me enough already with your mindless bickering at the airport and on the plane. Do you really want to embarrass me in another country? You seriously don't know what I'm capable of. Hear me?"

"Yes," they say in unison.

"Thank you." I turn to the man at the front desk, who seems a little appalled by my speech, which I find strange because I said it in a completely foreign language to him. "Three suites for Kageyama?" I ask in accented English.

"Hmm...yes. Just need you to sign a few things..."

"Mei, I'm hungry," Tobio says.

"Good for you. I'm a little busy here."

"Can we get something to eat?"

"We had food on the plane!"

"That was like four hours ago."

"Fine! You lot and Ukai can go get something to eat. The girls and I will stay so we can get our rooms," I say. "Leave your luggage in the same area and we'll take it up."

"Yes!" He gives a victorious thumbs up and everyone cheers.

"Good God..."

OOO

"Where to next?" Shoyo leans over the front passenger's seat in which I sit in and licks his dripping ice cream. The driver glances distastefully at him. He's gonna need a heavy tip for the mess Shoyo's about to make with that.

"The Golden Gate Bridge."

"...that's it?"

"What the hell are you expecting, a castle?!"

"Kinda," he admits.

"We just watched Stanford go up against CAL. Be in mind those tickets were NOT cheap," I point out. "We also saw Aladdin on Broadway."

"Isn't Broadway in New York?" Yamaguchi asks.

"It's a traveling Broadway show, you numbskull," Tobio says.

"Can't catch a break, huh?" mutters the driver with an amused smirk.

"Hinata, you're dripping ice cream on me!" cries Asahi.

"Don't get it on the car!"

"It's not my fault; Kageyama ran into me when we made than huge turn!"

"That's because you were jabbing your freaking elbow onto my rib!"

I remain silent as the rest of them go at it with each other, arguing about who knows what. I watch as the red bridge scaling the dark waters gets bigger and bigger as we approach it. The driver pulls over and lets us off, not before I slap fifty US dollars on the dashboard.

We all stand on a vacant turf, surrounded by smiling couples holding hands, excited tourists with their families, photographers lugging their hefty equipment and state-of-the-art cameras. Soon, the other cabs arrive, more of our group spilling out of them.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

"It's just a bridge," mumbles Tobio.

I nudge him. "But look there." I point towards the horizon, where sky and earth meet in a warm kiss. The ocean waters reflect the sun's glorious rays white light tip-toeing on its surface. The sky itself is an unending ceiling, an artist far great than Michelangelo or da Vinci having painted it speckled pink to faint orange to rose red, swirling the colors into a flawless mural.

"Well, that's quite a sunset."

"You don't get that kind of view in Japan."

"Was it worth it?" I ask them.

They don't have to answer. The glazed, inspired flicker in their eyes reveals it all.


	32. Flight-The Sequel

INTRODUCING FLIGHT, THE SEQUEL

hi, everyone! hope you're having a great October because it's FALL! and by fall, i mean SEASON 3 OF HAIKYUU SEASON! i just want to direct you over to the sequel to this fanfiction, just as I promised! Mei's back and she's better than ever! watch her fight with Ukai, struggle as a volleyball player/coach during the Shiratorizawa match that lasts for five damn sets, and figure out how the heck she's going to deal even look Oikawa in the eye in the aftermath of her letter. wow i'd be a great advertiser. ANYWAYS, go ahead and check that out and give it some love, which shouldn't be hard because it's HAIKYUU! ahahaha thanks for reading this crap of a paragraph.

side note: WE REACHED 10,000 VIEWS ON THIS FANFIC LIKE A MONTH AGO AND THAT IS INSANE. IT BLOWS MY MIND LIKE CRAZY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS CRINGEY FANFIC; i sincerely pray the next one isn't as cringey and cheesy aha.

update: YALL ARE INSANE; LITERALLY 390 VIEWS IN ONE DAY WHAT EVEN

here's the link to the fanfic btw: /s/12189779/1/Flight (just type in fanfiction . net and a / and the following numbers bc fanfiction won't let me put in the full URL) or just find it through my profile, y'know?

okay, that's all! much love, animeflufflife xx


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